Ginny Weasley and The Hidden Gift
by SplendidIsolation
Summary: Before Voldemort ruthlessly killed Arthur Weasley he told him about the strange gifts his daughter possessed. Ginny is now discovering these but the road will not be easy, danger is all around, evil ever approaching.
1. Prologue

**Ginny Weasley and the Hidden Gift**

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**Prologue **

"Come to me", the huddled figure whispered in a high, cold voice which filled the room with a lingering menace. His gnarled hands were placed on his skeletal knees; in them they held the instrument that had ruthlessly robbed so many lives. The wand; whose brother, belonged to his greatest and most unlikely enemy, a teenage boy.

Lucius Malfoy steeped forward, lowering his hooded robe and bowing his elegant head in submission.

"I live to serve" he declared obediently to his master. A twisted mockery of a smile briefly crossed Lord Voldemort's features before being replaced with a look of cold indifference.

"Yes, my loyal servant" he mused darkly, "That is your purpose. Servitude to my cause…the most noble of causes…"

Lucius dared to raise his hard, silver eyes slightly towards the Dark Lord, who was sitting on a wooden throne, which was adorned with the familiar serpent motif of Salazar Slytherin.

"Do you remember the task I set you nearly six years ago?" Voldermort began, changing the subject.

"One of the many that you managed to fail, No? Well let me refresh your obviously appalling memory. It began with a whiny girl and her little book…"

Lucius's pale face hardened slightly and underneath his long, black robes, a slight tremor swept through his body.

"Yes of course" he voiced with a hint of anger, "The youngest of that bastard Arthur Weasley"

Voldemort shook his head and let out a high, eerie laugh "Now, now Lucius no need for bad language. You may wonder why I should bring this up now. Why should** I** possibly care about a stupid little girl? Especially one who was been dragged up in a pigsty by her traitorous parents" At that point he bared his yellowing teeth in a strange leer.

"Yet there are matters which have thus far been concealed from my death eaters. Secrets about this girl, which are known to only one person, me"

Voldemort stalled and stared down at the blond death eater, carefully scrutinizing his reaction to this news. Other than a swift appearance of shock and apprehension in those metallic eyes, Lucius seemed unfazed.

The unnatural red eyes of the dark wizard narrowed slightly before he continued, "After all I could have chosen any of hundreds, of lonely children beginning Hogwarts that year. Any one of them would have been gullible enough to spill their hopes and fears to my patient and understanding younger self. Manipulation is after all, so simple. A trick I am sure you are well adapted to yourself, Lucius. But no, I selected her. I chose Ginny Weasley"

Voldemort suddenly sprang up, the creaking sound of his bones reverberating round the room. Lucius shuddered and took a step back, but he was too late. His body was immobilized in a frozen cell, a sudden circle of death eaters surrounded him, chanting fiercely.

Voldemort glided towards the trapped figure, when he was just inches away, he uttered in a mocking, deadly voice,

"Did you honestly think that you could fool me? The Dark Lord who has more power than your minuscule brain could phantom? Did you and your band of weak bloods believe that I wouldn't know my own followers?"

The vicious gang of death eaters moved closer, each pointing their wands at the caged wizard. Several, muttering curses under their breath, causing 'Lucius' to scream out in pain. His once gleaming eyes dulled and rolled horribly inside his head. The perfect blond hair was now matted with sweat and plastered onto his deathly white face.

"Tell me, where is the _real _Mr. Malfoy? Not that it's a great loss to the cause; he always was prone to mistakes, ruled by his arrogance and greed. But I am curious…"

'Lucius' shrivelling with pain let out a quiet, but defiant, "No!" through gritted teeth and shallow breaths "No!"

A sardonically wicked grin glued itself to Voldemort's reptilian face. His contorted hands stroking his wand with growing pleasure,

"Hmm…I had a feeling that you'd say that. The old fool Dumbledore always did value loyalty in his people, in that we are alike.

I already posses a belief of your true identity, but my servants remain uniformed. I think it's time to reveal the man behind the mask, don't you?"

The Dark Lord hissed out a counter spell and within a few seconds the identity of Lucius Malfoy began to fade away into the red haired impostor. He was tall with balding hair and a poorly concealed expression of fear.

"Arthur Weasley, as I thought" Voldemort stated, "How ironic that you should have become the person who hates you the most…Yes, it was clear from the very start that a filthy Weasley had stolen Lucius place in my service; who else would be stupid enough to readily accept a suicide mission? I must admit Albus has sunk to new lows, sending out a Weasley to do a wizards work. Tut Tut!"

"You're nothing compared to Dumbledore" Arthur rasped, struggling to stand up. Horrible, damming thoughts began running through his mind, he would never leave this place alive, never see his beloved family again. "Oh Molly" he thought desperately, "What have I done?" He looked at the wizard who he had despised for as long as he could remember, without his glasses all his blue eyes saw was the blurry outline of a monster.

"Of course, it was your youngest, the apple of your eye, who I so easily corrupted. What fun it must have been for my younger self, to play with the mind of such an innocent creature" Voldemort drawled, loving every second.

Arthur winced as he thought back in horror to what his Ginny must have gone through, how she must have felt when she discovered that her special friend was really this evil man…this beast…this despicable thing.

"I wasn't lying when I said I knew secrets about her…oh no. Little Ginny and me are destined to once again meet. She has powers which are quite out of place within your pitiable family. Talking of which…" Voldemort lowered his voice and moved closer to Arthur

"I'll look after them for you…when you're gone"

The last thing Arthur saw was a blinding green light.

Then everything went black.


	2. First

Chapter one- First(Part one)

Picture this: a wide patchwork blanket of blue and white stretched lazily in the sky, failing to obscure the bright, familiar sun which shone down. It was a perfect day. The kind where each moment seems unreal, borrowed straight from a storybook. The light breeze seems to echo freedom itself.

Now imagine this: Rolling green hills sprinkled with delicate, ivory flowers each one intricate and unique. In the midst of this natural beauty add in the figure of a young woman, lying on her back with her eyes closed; long red hair framing a pale oval face. On her pretty features there was a spray of freckles and her pink lips curved up in a smile.

She was Ginny Weasley and in that very instance she was happy. For nearly two years, ever since Voldemort had returned, the wizarding community had lived in fearful confusion but things were finally getting better. Dumbledore had rallied a strong group of followers and the people were uniting under a common cause, ready to battle the evil of the Dark Lord. Ginny thought herself lucky, she had a family that loved her and a future that looked bright. As a result of her outstanding O.W.L results she had been offered the chance to study abroad after she graduated from Hogwarts. She was no longer the meek little girl she had once been, hiding in the shadows, desperate for acceptance. She had become a strong and capable young woman with everything to live for.

It was a shame it was all to change.

Ginny opened her eyes; to capture the colour think of leaves in autumn, the blending shades of brown, russet and soft orange. She quickly shielded them from the midday sun with one white hand and slowly stood up. Looking into the distance, Ginny's smile reappeared as her eyes met with the comforting sight of the Burrow. Feelings of safety and nostalgia flooded through her. The Burrow was her family home, the place she had lived for sixteen years, it was made of memories. She could almost see her younger self being chased around the many-floored house by a brother or six. She could her laughter and screams as she played reluctant victim in one of the twins many 'experiments'

Tonight was to be extra special: it would be the first time the whole of the family had been together for at least a year. Charlie and Bill were coming back after both spending a long period abroad, attempting to gather foreign support. The twin's had apparated over from their home in Hogsmeade and even Percy, who had only recently begun to build bridges with the family he disowned, was making an appearance. Ron and his best friends, Hermione and Harry were busy helping Mrs. Weasley in the kitchen.

But the person that Ginny was most looking forward to seeing was her father. As far as she knew, her father had been helping the casualties of You-Know-Who in Romania (which had suffered greatly from death eater strikes) a noble cause to be sure, but that didn't stop her from missing him deeply. Although she would never admit it (It would be far too un-teenage like) she really did miss the nickname 'Ginny Bean' which her father had used for as long as she could remember.

Now to understand what happened next you have to believe in instinct, the feeling which comes from the deepest recess of your soul and gives you no choice but to listen. It was this intuition which took control of Ginny's mind in those fateful minutes, it was that feeling of anxious foreboding which installed in her the greatest fear she had ever known.

It was that feeling which made her legs begin pumping, frantically down towards the house and ensured that her blood ran cold; the hairs on her neck stood alert and a scream remained trapped in her throat.

But if you thought that this wild emotion would enable her to clear the fields in a matter of seconds, that the adrenalin cursing through her veins would give her extra speed, provide her with a last chunk of coveted energy; then you'd be wrong.

If you thought that she would come crashing through the door, sweating but energized and catch in her arms, her horror struck mother, then you'd also be mistaken.

For this is not a film, this is real life and in life things don't happen at breakneck speed, they are slow and agonizing. Ginny's raged run lasted not seconds but long minutes. She stumbled and fell, swore and cried. By the time she reached the door, her knees were filthy and bloody. By the time she reached the kitchen, her mother lay, fainted on the floor and her brother's stood shell shocked with tears in their eyes. By the time she looked at Dumbledore, she knew her father was dead and she knew it was his fault.


	3. Broken

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** Ginny Weasley and the Hidden Gift **

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Ginny woke up in a flash, her sheets and bed clothes sticky with perspiration. The same dream had plagued her sleeping hours for many weeks, and with it came the feeling of helplessness and the inescapable, rapid emotion of anger. Anger at herself and anger at Dumbledore but most of all she was angry at the one person for who it was forbidden.

She screwed her eyes shut, mentally urging with all her will, for the lingering images to disappear. She didn't want to be reminded of her mother's face, slack and grey with shock and she didn't want to hear the stifled, late night cries of her brothers, who were normally so brave. But most of all she didn't want to feel the heavy weight of guilt that came from her selfish thoughts; the wish that everything would go back to normal, the way it had been before...

She let out a weary yawn and moved robotically towards the mirror. She absently surveyed her reflection, her face was paler than it had been and her eyes were heavy with ugly red blotches underneath; but other than that she looked the same. The same Ginny Weasley who had ran behind the train almost seven years ago, the same Ginny who had sent a valentine card to the famous Harry Potter and the same Ginny who had faced death eaters in the department of mysteries. _Am I still her?_ She wondered to herself _Will I ever feel like her again, like myself. Will things ever be ok again?_

"Are you all right Gin?" asked a voice quietly. Ginny looked at her brother, without turning around. Side by side their reflections seemed wrong, both too ghostly and blank. She nodded slightly, to which Ron responded with a mirthless smile,

"Sorry, stupid question"

In some ways their father's death had been hardest on Ron and Ginny, the youngest of the Weasley family. They had not known the true nature of Arthur's mission, they had had no time to come to terms with the fact that their father might not return; that their last goodbye would truly be that.

"You should get dressed and come down. Mum's made breakfast..." Ron suggested, looking at his sister in concern.

Ginny staring vacantly in the depths of her own brown eyes, muttered "I'm not hungry"

Her brother, frowning slightly, placed his hand on Ginny's chilled shoulder, "You really should eat something Gin, keep your strength up"

"I'm not hungry" she repeated, annoyed.

"Come on" Ron said with a sigh "You've eaten hardly anything and said even less since...Dad wouldn't have..."

"Dad's dead" Ginny interrupted sharply, turning around to face her older brother. Ron stepped back, as if realizing this for the first time, before saying softly, "I know"

"No! I don't think you do" Ginny spat out angrily "I can tell. Every time the door opens you think it's going to be him. You look up expecting him to walk through the door carrying a stupid bloody muggle gadget and tell you that it was all a hoax! That he was a safe all along and it was all a big misunderstanding!"

Ginny's eyes were blazing and her small hands balled up in tight fists.

"But it won't happen Ron!" she stated fiercely "No matter how much you want it, or how much you cry and wish it to happen, IT WON'T!"

Ron looked injured, like each word was a physical blow, but when he spoke his voice was harsh, "How can you say that! Of course I want him back! Don't you? Don't you care? Don't you care Ginny?"

Ginny made ready to fight back, made ready to scream at the top of her voice, "of course I do!" but something stopped her. Some invisible muzzle blocked the words racing out. Instead a strange voice said bitterly, "He's dead, what does it matter" It was a long time after until she recognized the voice as her own.

Ron stood staring at his little sister in disbelief, wondering where the sweet thing he had once known had disappeared to. But he didn't feel angry at her, if anything the urge to protect her only increased. No, his anger was directed to another place, at another person. He vowed in that very moment that he would take Voldemort life; somehow, even if it killed him, he would find a way to avenge his father's murder and give his family the justice they deserved.

With a quite, loving tone Ron said, "I'll see you downstairs Gin" before leaving the room and his sister alone.

The early morning light began streaming through the small window, bathing her room in a natural, sunny glow. Ginny groaned, pulling the scruffy sheets over her head, creating an artificial night. She felt her lids growing heavy and her body becoming strangely sleepy. Closing her eyes, she vaguely remembered it was morning, but that thought was soon lost as slumber quickly overtook her.

"_Gin, can you hear me?"_

_Ginny looked up; not daring to believe her eyes, she whispered in confusion "Dad?"_

_Arthur smiled, tears forming in his own blue eyes "Yes Gin, it's me" _

_Ginny croaked and gazed unbelievingly at her father. He looked the same as ever with his kind smile and diminishing bright hair._

"_You're alive" Ginny gasped; hope high in her voice. _

_Arthur bowed his head and said mournfully "No honey I'm not. But I'm here to warn you..."_

_His daughter, barely concealing her disappointment, asked "Warn me? What do you mean? And where are you?" she cried "I don't understand" _

_Arthur moved closer towards his youngest, wishing to comfort her but knowing it was impossible. _

"_I haven't much time. You have to listen to me, Voldemort will want to find you and use your gift. You must not let him"_

"_What gift?" Ginny interrupted "What gift?"_

_Arthur continued hastily, "You must not let him use you Ginny. You need to discover your powers and use them against him .Help Harry and Ron to destroy him. Now I must go..."_

"_No" Ginny shouted, "NO! Dad don't go. I don't understand. We need you here. I need you"_

_But Arthur was already fading away into nothing. _

"_Be strong" he said before leaving without a trace._

If Ginny had awoken minutes later and remembered this dream encounter, then perhaps things would have turned out differently. But if you're at all familiar with life, you'll know that things don't come that easy. Maybe in some alternate reality a different Ginny Weasley awoke that morning with a fresh understanding and purpose. Perhaps she went on to confront her demons and live out the rest of her life happily. But as was said, that was a different girl, in a different place. As for our Ginny, her path was to be quite unlike.

Remember me when I have gone away,

Gone far away into the silent land;

When you can no more hold me by the hand,

Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay.

Remember me when no more day by day

You tell me of our future that you planned

Only remember me; you understand

It will be late then to counsel or pray

Yet if you should forget me for a while

And afterwards remember, do not grieve;

For if the darkness and corruption leave

A vestige of the thoughts that once I had,

Better by far you should forget and smile

Than you should remember and be sad


	4. Travel

** Travel**

Faster and faster the images zoomed past her, the colours twisting manically into each other, the familiar looking unreal. Blurring, contorted tress; branches reaching out to snatch her. Perverted clumps of stormy cloud hanging heavily; in the swirling sky. Yet in all this rapid confusion, a figure stood clear in the distance; a bent, hooded shape which held out its bony fingers towards her. She moved closer, her eyes swimming. The creature's hood slipped down revealing a strangely vacant face, without eyes or a nose. The only feature was a gaping, mockery of a mouth. Despite the distance she could see that the lips of the creature were mouthing something out, a phrase or a name she couldn't quite understand. Without warning, the voice seemed to fill her mind, echoing off her thoughts. It was as if the creature was sitting right next to her, whispering in her ear.

_"Ginny…"_

"Ginny! Ginny! Wake up" came the shrill voice of Hermione Granger, her hands lightly shaking the younger girl's shoulder.

Ginny looked dazedly away from the window and focused on her friend "Sorry I must have spaced out"

She glanced around the carriage; Harry, Ron and Neville were busy playing wizards' chess, completely oblivious to any dark figure looming outside. She quickly sneaked a look at the landscape that was flying past, everything looked normal, a standard Hogwarts Express train ride.

_Perhaps I was dreaming…she thought…either that or I'm going mad_

"Well, we'll be back at Hogwarts soon" Hermione said slightly subdued, "Are you feeling ok Ginny? You're pale"

The redhead offered Hermione a small, reassuring smile and responded "Mione, I was born pale. How about you, still annoyed?"

Hermione let out a small 'hmm' and attempted to control her bushy hair which seemed to have a will completely independent from its owner. "I guess it's not the end of the world. I'll be fine "she said in a carefully controlled voice, which soon gave way as she added in an exasperated tone "But Hannah Abbott!! A hufflepuff head girl, not that I'm prejudice against our badger…friends…but come on, almost anyone would have been better equipped for the job!"

"Anyone like …Pansy Parkinson?" Ginny teased, enjoying the distraction.

Hermione's lips twisted into a scowl and she said bitterly, "That She-Devil? I think not! A head girl needs to be dedicated, conscientious and disciplined. The qualities of being an air headed floozy, with a one digit IQ, loose knickers and appalling fashion sense, are not generally needed"

"Meow!"

Hermione grinned an 'ok-bitching-overload' smile and said in a more serious voice "I

Just thought it might be me. It's what I've been working towards since the first year. But I guess Dumbledore had other ideas"

Ginny's face darkened at the headmaster's name, her feelings about him were still conflicted. It had been nearly two months since her father's death, but the bitterness she felt towards Dumbledore and the part he had played, had yet to abide. But she knew that she could never tell anyone how she felt, not even Hermione. They would all rush to the old wizard's defence, leaving her looking like the stupid child. After all didn't they dote on whatever he did or said? Months ago she would have counted herself as one of the awed, one of the many who consider Dumbledore as 'the greatest wizard alive' but now things were different. Before her father's death there had been two colours, black and white. Two sides, Good and Evil. But ever since things had been blurred .It may sound strange but Ginny felt she had lost a little bit of herself on that day.

She had lost the answers to straight forward questions.

"It's his loss" Ginny chirped, masking herself. Hermione shrugged and reached into her overflowing book bag. She pulled out several, leather bound books and placed them on Ginny's lap.

"You'll need these" she explained "For the extra classes you'll be taking…"

Ginny frowned, "Uh huh? Extra classes? Hermione why are you scaring me?"

Hermione narrowed her eyes; "You do remember you're in the gifted and talented scheme this year?" she looked at the younger and obviously not remembering girl.

"Come on, every year a few pupils get picked, usually in the sixth and seventh years…"Hermione stalled and added in a not-too…smug tone "I was selected in the fifth year"

The redhead groaned and said in a significantly unenthused tone, "Oh yeah, I'm gifted girl this year. I think I'll give it a miss"

_"Give it a miss?" _Hermione scolded, personally scandalized, "You can't do that! It's a big opportunity and its fun" noticing Ginny's 'as if' looked she added earnestly "Honest!"

"I'm really not into the whole extra-curriculum shindig. If they were advanced puppy stroking classes, then I'd be the first in line with the chew toys. But doing more school work isn't all that appealing"

Ginny said thanks anyway and passes the books back o her friend, who looked disheartened and said "You sure Gin? Because you'll need these classes if you want to go abroad after graduation"

Ron, who had been entranced in his gloating victory of the chess game, suddenly looked over at the girls and said firmly (more of a statement than a question)

"You're not still thinking about leaving us, are you Gin"

Harry also turned his attention over to Ginny, a strange look in his emerald eyes.

With all eyes focused upon her, Ginny felt a blush spread over her cheeks. Annoyed at Ron's assumption, she answered cagily "Yes I might be, why?"

Her brother stood up, moved towards Ginny and loomed over her, "I thought you'd have changed your mind after everything that's happened"

Ginny scowled, _emotional blackmail_ she thought _way to go Ron_

"No I haven't but it looks like you have for me; which is strange since you haven't once asked ME about it!"

"Well, whatever, you're not going" Ron declared, hands on hips and face flushed. _This isn't going well_, he thought ruefully.

Ginny guffawed and stood to her full, not all that impressing, height. "Oh I forgot that I had to ask your permission, great one. After all, you are all of 12 months older! Please feel free to bestow your pearls of wisdom!" she drawled sarcastically.

"I didn't mean it like that! It's just too dangerous to go on your own. What would mum do without you?"

With her bright red hair and face flushed with anger, Ginny looked like a living flame.

"Ron I'm not going tomorrow. I'll be 18, an adult! If it were up to you, I'd stay home forever, doing the damn dishes while you go off and save the world!"

Hermione, Harry and Neville were looking extremely uncomfortable at being caught in the sibling crossfire. Hermione, anxious to ease the tension, took up the role of peacekeeper.

"Ginny, I'm sure Ron didn't mean that and Ron, you have to understand Ginny's not a child anymore. Why don't you both sit down…?"

"NO!" came the simultaneous answer. Hermione with a significant glance at Harry passed over her failed peacekeeping position. But before Harry could see if he'd fare any better, Ginny spoke up "It really doesn't matter. I'm just going to stretch my legs. See you all in a bit" and with that she left the carriage and in her place resided an awkward silence.

"Shall I go after her?" ventured an oddly nervous Harry. Ron, who had been watching the place his sister had just been, quickly spun round, seething "Why should you go after her? Why would she want to talk to you? I'm her brother, I'll talk to her"

Harry, who looked a little stung, nodded and sat back down. Ron, making his way out of the door, was quickly stopped by Hermione, who put one hand on his shoulder and said soothingly "Just give her a little time"

If it had been anyone else, Ron would have pushed past, but this was Hermione, so he sat down without remark.

Ginny sighed long and loud. After she had (lame) excused herself from the 'carriage of conflict' she had searched for an empty room. In years past, it would have been almost impossible to find a space not invaded by pupils but now, for obvious reasons, it had become an easy feat.

So here she sat, a lone redhead in a bad mood. Ginny just didn't understand why Ron was so….Ron? For the last few weeks he had seemed to declare himself her protector, brother and bodyguard in one annoying package. She understood his increased wish to protect her and she loved him for it. But sometimes it could get too much. In fact all her brothers had concentrated their concern/control over her; it was almost like they were trying to save her because they failed to save their dad. But from what, Ginny questioned, Extra potions lessons?

The girl quickly shut her eyes; she couldn't handle thinking about her dad right now. Thinking about him would eventually lead to the realization that he was really gone. Not just on a long holiday but actually dead (it sounded so final), a nasty bite of reality which she just didn't want to face. Not yet.

Shutting out the thoughts, Ginny checked the time on her watch. In only a few minutes they would be arriving at Hogwarts. Not surprisingly, Ginny had thought very little about starting her sixth year at the school but now the familiar butterflies (or giant bats) began flapping in her stomach. Unlike Hermione, she had never been a big fan of school. After all, being possessed by the Dark Lord and trapped in an evil chamber does not a happy time make.

Tom…Ginny shivered despite herself, another bad memory, one which was never to leave. She could distinctly remember how cold it had been in the stone chamber, how very cold…

_Ok happy thoughts, think happy thoughts_! Ginny demanded of herself, while rubbing her goose pimpled arms. _Right, bunnies, floppy ears, doe eyed, very cute with their little tails, Awww…That is until someone kills them for the lining of their new shoes…good one Ginny. Aren't you a little ray of sunshine (!) Ok, kittens equally as cute, fluffy with little paws like blackberries…_

Suddenly Ginny's deliberately sappy thoughts were disturbed by the entrance of a figure in her now not-so-empty carriage. He had longish, sleek blond hair and a pale, sculptured face. His metallic eyes were red rimmed, an obvious sign he had been crying.

"Malfoy!?" Ginny spat out. No, it couldn't be, Malfoy's don't show weakness. But it was true; standing in front of her was a Malfoy member, Draco Malfoy to be exact.

Draco looked down at the Gryffindor, surprise registering in his face, before being replaced with the haughty mask of his standard arrogance. He straightened up and sneered "Didn't see you there, trash girl. Think I'll find somewhere less…" he lifted his nose in the air "odorous" and with that banged the door behind him.

Ginny let out an indignant huff but over her years at Hogwarts she had become accustomed to the self-indulgent bast….boy.

What had really confused her was the fact that Draco had actually seemed like a human, if only for a few seconds.

She let out another huff, this one perplexed, _floating figures and Malfoy crying? I really must be going mad…_


	5. Sighting

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** Sighting**

In the midst of a dank, oppressing forest strides a man familiar with the nature of darkness. Throughout his life he had offered complete obedience to the cause, never wavering in his loyalty. So much so that the name he had forgotten long ago was irrelevant; following the Dark Lord was all the identity he needed. It gave him great pride to belong to the select group of Death Eaters known as 'The Elite'. They were the most trusted and powerful of Voldemort's servants. They were also the most deadly.

His current assignment was one of the most secretive he had received in his long history. Even he felt the rare tug of curiosity. The mission lay tightly in his arms, bundled in thick black velvet, safe from prying eyes. Even if the human side of him was tempted to pull back the cloth, the death eater in him would automatically dismiss it. He was servant to Voldemort and forever would he be so. Free will was burned away with the branding of the mark.

The forest was deathly silent, even his footsteps on the fallen leaves passed without as much as a rustle. On he walked his pace gradually slowing down, until he reached a particularly tall and twisted tree. Delicately placing down the precious cargo on the forest floor, he raised one hand in the air. He began moving it, in seemingly random motions. All of a sudden a great hissing sound reverberated around the forest, almost as if a great swarm of snakes had filled the air. In an instance the noise halted and the object it had heralded, appeared. It was a solid block of energy, rippling and crackling with sparks of electricity. Picking up the bundle, the death eater moved forwards and without hesitation, stepped through the enchanted door.

The sight which awaited him was far removed from the dank but unremarkable forest. A large, once-majestic castle loomed behind a moat of murky water. Snarling stone gargoyles stood guard, not shielding from evil but welcoming it. The gothic brickwork of the castle was tainted a strange colour; it seemed to bleed. The death eater walked calmly over the drawbridge, gestured to the throng of patrolling guards and moved through the castle, heading towards the innermost chamber.

"Have you got it?" asked Lord Voldemort eagerly.

"Yes my lord" responded his servant, placing the bundle in the grasping hands of his master. Despite his many years service, the grotesque sight of Voldemort had yet to lose its full impact. Swallowing the bile rising in his throat, the death eater asked, somewhat hesitantly, "What is it, my lord?"

Voldemort, who had been carefully unwrapping the many layers of velvet, took a long, speculative look at the man before deciding to answer.

"It is one of a kind; both beautiful and horrific. It once belonged to a great and powerful sorceress, pitiless and deadly; a woman after my own heart."

He held up the coveted object. At first glance it appeared to be a large circular, crystal but on closer inspection it was revealed to be something else entirely. There seemed to be many scenes swirling around in the centre of it, yet none were clear. Like a film on fast forward, the images were there but it made no sense. Almost subconsciously the man took a step forward, his eyes drawn to the object. He could just begin to make out a few faces in the mist. A boy, no, a man with jet black hair and another with...

Voldemort placed his hand over the crystal, blocking the view. The death eater quickly swallowed a protest and controlled himself. The dark lord gave a patronising smile and sneered, "That's enough of that I think...wouldn't want you to get distracted now, would we?"

"What is that?" the man asked before he could stop himself.

"It is called a sighting stone" Voldemort began "Not the most original of names, but it serves its purpose"

"It shows the future?"

A bemused look crossed Voldemort's deformed features "Shows the future?" he scoffed mockingly, "You think I would go to all this trouble for an overrated crystal ball? No, this is a far less pedestrian object. But you're naïve assumption does hold some truth, I'll give you that"

The Dark Lord peeled his fingers off the crystal and brought it closer to his red eyes; Focusing deeply into its misty depths for a few seconds, before once again enveloping it with his bony digits.

"The images you saw in the stone did show a glimpse of the future, or at least the future that could be, if I had my way"

Confused, the Death Eater asked "What do you mean, my lord?"

"How shall I put this so **_you'll_** understand...? Ah yes, the stone acts as an indicator. I feed my thoughts into it; I pose a question or an idea to which it responds. It whispers inside my mind, whispers great secrets which only it knows. These secrets will offer great advantages in the upcoming days, oh yes...great advantages." Voldemort paused, his eyes gleaming unnervingly and his leeching smile widened, exposing his broken and mouldy teeth. He looked as if he held the whole world in his hands.

"The scenes that it exposes are the outcomes of my plans. If I have my way they will become as real as you or I soon enough"

"What plans?" the death eater asked without thinking. Curiosity was a new feeling for him, one he couldn't yet control. A sudden searing pain that crippled his spine and bent his bones, was the only answer he received.

"You should know better!" his master smirked, enjoying watching his servant squirming in pain. "But I understand the power that the stone exacts on a person. If they have weak will, like you obviously do, it can become a dangerous object. As soon as a person gets just one look into its depths, they are forever joined with it. Unable to use it, but obsessed with what it might show."

The death eater, who was kneeling and trying desperately to push past the pain, was moved to agree. Even now, the stone's hold on him was unbreakable.

Voldemort removed his fingers from around the stone, for several minutes he stared directly into it, communicating with his mind. Finally he looked away and said in a supposedly kind voice, "You may have noticed my good mood today? Yes it's remarkable what welcome news can do to improve a man's frame of mind. Anyway, today is your lucky day, my servant. It just so happens that I will show you more of what you desire." The dark lord held the crystal towards the eager death eater, playfully toying with the man's obvious craving.

"I'll show you a private desire of mine, not essential to the downfall of good but very, very vital all the same. Enjoy" Voldemort said before passing the stone into the hands of the fervent man.

**Vision**

__

__

_ The mist cleared. A figure could be seen, crouching on a forest floor. It was a woman, no more than eighteen years old. Short hair the colour of autumn leaves was sheared close to the skull. She looked up, her image filling the crystal. The gaunt face was deathly pale. Angry eyes were lit with a deep intensity; unforgiving, harsh and proud. She wore a black cloak; its edges were burnt and frayed. Standing up tall, her full physique could be seen. She was thin, too thin. Her hands were covered with burns, not red blisters but charred black skin. She blinked and for a second she looked innocent, like a child. Then her eyes opened and her true nature was revealed._

The crystal went black for an instance, before returning to a new scene.

__

_A great cliff could be seen in the distance. Waves crashed violently against it, attempting to no avail, to wash it away. A shape could be seen on the very edge on the cliff. The image zoomed forward stopping just a few meters from the shape. It was a man, still in his teenage years. His eyes were red rimmed and heavily circled with purple bruises. Fresh tears started to escape, joining those already dried onto his ashen face. A mop of thick black hair lay plastered onto to his forehead, heavy with sweat and grime. He stood facing the moaning, awaiting water. It seemed to call out to him, a deadly invitation. Suddenly he was viciously spun around to face way from the edge. _

__

_Levitating, at least four feet in the air, a man shaped being glided towards the young man. His demonic red eyes were filled with happiness; an unnatural contradiction. Although no sound could be heard, the being seemed to be laughing, great, heaving laughter. The red-eyed man bowed his head in mock curtsey towards the boy. He took_ _one last gloating look before he spun in the air, beckoning something towards him. _

__

_Abruptly, a second figure materialized on the cliff. Its face was hooded and shadowed. Without a second thought it held its hands up, sending bolts of energy towards the powerless boy. Shock mingled with horrified realisation marred his features. He said his last, breathless word, before being bombarded with the agonising bolts. _

__

_He hit the rocks hard. Every bone in his body broken. No longer the boy who lived._

The mist rolled over the image, blocking the scene for long seconds before returning in a rapid burst.

__

_The floating creature was ecstatic. He glided down to the ground, placing one hand on the shoulder of the shadowed figure. The hood slid down. Voldemort and his favourite red headed pet beamed at each other._

_****_

_**Victory. **_

"This will happen?" The death eater asked breathlessly.

His master smiled; the smile that could turn a man's heart to stone.

"Oh yes" he replied "Soon"

"Soon"


	6. Fey Words

**Chapter 6** **Fey Words**

_So far: Ginny is still reeling from the murder of her father. Voldemort has expressed his private desire to reclaim his former toy – a possible 'evil' future for our young Weasley? Yet Ginny is still unaware of her hidden gifts, powers which will either aid Voldemort in the future or help destroy him. Now a new influence enters her life_

"Miss Weasley, I suggest you either pay attention or leave!" Snape snarled harshly, his black eyes narrowing with distaste. The rest of the class turned to glare at the redhead, who was staring blankly into space, a small smile resting on her face. Ginny Weasley was in her own private world, a safe place where nothing ever happened; it was a place just for her, a sanctuary. She blinked once, twice and again, her gaze moving absently onto the looming thing in front of her. Hmm… it looks angry she thought…very angry…but that's wrong…bad things don't belong here.

"Miss Weasley!!" a voice bellowed once again. Ginny shook her head, reality rushing into her like tidal wave, Hogwarts, lessons, potions…she looked up and swallowed…Snape.

"I'm glad I have your attention" the potions master drawled sarcastically, "Perhaps now you've joined us back on planet earth, you can explain to the class the merits of berryhertz herbs? Hmm…we're waiting Miss Weasley"

Ginny looked down at the blank piece of parchment in front of her, no answers there. She peered around the room, there wasn't one face not focused on her.

"I don't know" she mumbled dully. Or care she wanted to add. Why is he asking such irrelevant, stupid questions? She was feeling like a walking corpse and he was asking about herbs!?

Snape's thin lips twisted into a patronizing smile and he said nastily, in mock sympathy "Aw, that is a shame. Would you be so kind to enlighten us why not?"

She could have offered some excuse, muttered an apology and accepted her inevitable punishment with a meek nod. If she cared she could have done a lot of things. But a sudden realization swept over her; she didn't have to sit here and listen to an overgrown bat spewing out a load of nonsense. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered.

"I asked you a question, answer it" Snape stated, his tone curt and cold.

Looking up at him with disdainful eyes, Ginny smirked and said in a neutral voice "To be honest I couldn't give a rat's ass. Sorry"

Quickly shoving her things into her bag, she strode out of the dungeon, head held high, ignoring Snape's livid response and the shocked expressions of her classmates.

Once outside, Ginny felt a slow smile playing on her cold lips, she felt better than she had in along time. Her happiness was of a cheap, short-lived kind but even so, it filled her with feeling; a feeling which wasn't tinged with grief. She was tired of feeling sorry for herself. Distractions helped.

"Her? Nah! She wouldn't do that" a first year whispered to her friend. Both looked down the Gryffindor table to where Ginny Weasley sat eating alone. The small redhead hardly looked the rebellious type.

"It's true" the mousy brunette responded "My cousin heard it from his friend who heard it from his sister who heard it from her room mate. Everybody's talking about it; apparently she stamped out of class, telling Snape where to shove it and he went mad! Even madder than usual!" the girl stalled and looked nervously over to the staff table, to her relief there was no sign of the greasy haired teacher.

"I wonder what he'll do?" she continued "I wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of him!

Her fellow first year, a blond, rosy cheeked girl, nodded in agreement and said in a slightly fearful voice "I bet he'll curse her. Give her boils or something. Or maybe he'll poison her…yeah, I bet he will!" she stopped and looked suspiciously at the pumpkin juice Ginny was drinking, then added in an quavering voice "If he hasn't already…."

"puh-lease!" her friend said dismissively, the gossip around Snape's hatred of disobedient pupils (especially Gryffindor) was notorious, but she thought even he would draw the line at murder. At least she hoped so.

"She'll get away with it, her dad just died"

"Oh that's her? No wonder she's gone a bit nuts" the blonde looked pityingly at the older girl. Both girls were heartily glad that there fathers, were just an owl away

Professor McGonagall peered at Ginny through wire rimmed spectacles, a mixture of pity and disappointment showing in her wise eyes. She had been sitting quietly in the staffroom, enjoying a rare moment of peace, when her enraged colleague had swept in, fiercely declaring "the wickedness of Weasleys!" Severus had never been a well-tempered man, even when he was totally silent; an essence of bitterness and never ending hostility seemed to seep through. Minerva had looked up at him, puzzled but not surprised. (Snape never had been a big fan of the redheaded pupils) This was a feeling which soon departed as Severus snared and spat his way through a replay of the previous potions lesson.

"I can not believe Ginny Weasley capable of such an outburst" Minerva had said, incredulously. She had known the youngest Weasley for the past six years, and never once had she given any reason not to think her, polite, well mannered and well…nice.

"Well believe it!" Professor Snape said curtly. "I do not think a simple detention would suffice for such a vile burst of crude disrespect!"

Minerva surveyed her fellow teacher; his thin lips were frozen in a tight frown and the black, beady eyes, which so many found threatening, were protruding unnervingly.

She let out a deep sigh, the kind that seemed to come from the very recess of the soul, and ran her hands absently over her tight bun of grey hair.

When she spoke her voice was heavy and wearied, "The girl has lost her father, she doesn't know how he was killed or why. All she knows is that Voldemort (she had long since ceased to refer to him as you-know-who) was the one who destroyed her family and she is powerless to stop him or avenge such brutality." Minerva suddenly stopped and looked sharply at him, adding in a distinctly cooler tone "A little understanding wouldn't go a miss"

"Understanding…?" Snape scoffed "I'll remind you that other people, not just the Weasley family, have lost their fathers, or their mothers or" he stalled and added quietly "or their lovers"

The older woman nodded in resigned acknowledgement and made to speak but Snape continued, this time the anger had returned to his voice

"Why should the Weasley's receive special treatment? It's bad enough that wonder boy Potter is wrapped in cotton wool, never mind the privilege being extended to his nearest and dearest!"

"Severus, calm yourself!" Professor McGonagall had said severely. The hatred Snape had for young Harry Potter was a well known fact, but Minerva would not stand for it. Sooner or later Harry would decide the fate of all, be it salvation or destruction. That kind of sacrifice deserved respect at the very least.

"I will talk to her" she had said, silencing her fuming colleague with an icy stare.

"So Ginny can you explain this to me?" Professor McGonagall now spoke. Ginny, who had been staring down at the hard, stone floor, shrugged her shoulders and murmured "No I can't" What could she say? And more to the point what did it matter?

Minerva nodded stiffly and said in a reluctant voice "I'm aware that…things have been difficult for you and your brothers but things…" _will get better_ she trailed off not willing to send the cliché out in the hard light of the day.

Ginny smiled mirthlessly and smothered a scoff _Yeah things would get better, her father's bones would turn to ash and they'd all forget. Everything would be perfect and they'd all live happily ever after…better…sure!_

"Anyway" Professor McGonagall continued "If you ever want someone to talk to…I'm here"

A small smile pressed itself on Ginny's face and she made the necessary noises "Yes miss, I'm fine. But if ever I need to talk…"

The professor looked less than convinced but nodded in dismissal. As the girl left, Minerva had the strangest feeling, like cold fingers were trailing down her spine, warning of things to come, a ghostly reminder from long ago. Shivering, Minerva let out a nervous laugh and scolded herself, _me and my imagination…_she thought _I'm getting as bad as Trelawney, thinking I'm a seer…nonsense._

Curled under thick white sheets, Ginny breathed heavily. If she could just keep breathing everything would be ok…one…two…three…if she breathed, she lived and if she lived she was fine…in and out…in and out… People needn't worry about her anymore, she was breathing, she was fine. She had to be fine.

_She was choking, her throat felt on fire, raw and rough. Sharp nails scratched at her, clawing into her soft flesh. They were calling out her name, singing her name as if she could save them, like she was hope. The only hope. They were moving closer, she could see them now, a tide of energy, like people but strangely not. Their eyes were shining bright, looking at her with desperate need. Their hands were everywhere, pleading and grasping; couldn't they see she couldn't breathe? didn't they know that they were killing her? "Please! Please!" they cried as if they were one being. She shook her head, slowly at first and then stronger, "What do you want?" she wanted to scream, but no sound could escape. "Leave me alone!!" she tried again; her heart was pounding so fast she thought it would burst. Even if they could hear her, they wouldn't answer. She gave them hope not questions. _

_"Help us!" they said before disappearing. _

_"_No!" Ginny screamed, sitting upright "No!" Her blood was rushing around her body far too fast, her thoughts were muddled and all she could think was "No!" one word, just one word. Looking around with wild eyes, her whole being was shuddering, as if the dream (was it a dream?) had taken her; body, mind and spirit.

Calming slightly, Ginny gazed around the circular dormitory absently checking the sleeping girls for signs of life. Before she could even steady her breaths, a sudden light shone down on her. Quickly shielding her eyes Ginny looked up. Between fingers she could see that the mysterious light was coming from a curious round ball. It was about the size of a tennis ball, but relations to normalcy stopped there, it glowed with such an impossible radiance that it couldn't be anything but magical.

The oddest thought crossed Ginny's mind, she believed, no, she knew that if she spoke, the light, strange as it may seem, would understand her. Any notion of the ridiculous was soon swept away as Ginny cleared her throat and said nervously "Hello…?"

The light bobbed up and down, dimming its brightness to a dull glow.

"Can I help you?" the girl asked in a polite voice

Jumping to and fro in the air, the light zoomed to the door and back again, making its point clear.

"You want me to follow you?" Ginny said dubiously, she once again looked around the room; all that could be heard was the gentle (and not so gentle) snoring of her fellow Gryffindors. The question Could I go? Seemed suddenly irrelevant, quickly grabbing a shabby but warm cloak, Ginny followed the mysterious gleaming ball of light out of the safe confines of the dormitory and into the cold, harsh night.

If anyone had happened to look out of the windows on that dark, strange night then the sight that would greet them would be unusual indeed. After all how common was it to see a small flame-haired girl blindly follow a speck of luminance into the daunting and dangerous forbidden forest? Stranger still was the sudden mist which seemed to envelop the whole forest just after the girl had stepped inside. Luckily for the girl, Hogwarts had been curiously dormant on that night, even the old headmaster has neglected his nightly walk around the castle. It almost seemed like everything had been pre-planned, many years ago.

"Where are we going?" Ginny asked the light, not expecting an answer but wanting one regardless. The ball speeded on, the only source of light in an otherwise pitch black forest. This wasn't Ginny's first time in the forest, far from it in fact. But ever since it happened her visits were becoming more and more frequent. It was a place of escape, an escape from the pitying looks and half hushed conversations. To other people the tall forbidding trees were far from a comfort but for Ginny they felt like a haven. Over the last few weeks she had often wondered how she did it, how she managed to flee to the forest without being noticed, it seemed impossible that the all-knowing Dumbledore didn't stop her.

"Are we there yet?" Ginny wanted to ask but decided against it, sounding like an impatient seven year old wouldn't help anyone. Her feet were starting to hurt, she looked down at them, only just realising that she was barefooted; they had been cut badly on the rough forest floor and were covered in a thick layer of brownish dirt…if mum could see me now…Ginny thought absently before picking up her pace to catch up with the distant glow of her guide.

All of a sudden the light abruptly stopped and waited for the now jogging girl. Ginny soon halted directly underneath it, her body panting and her eyes curiously surveying the area. It was a small gap in the thick forest, a perfectly circular area free from trees and debris. On the forest floor two mounds of earth, oddly similar to chairs sprouted up from the ground, it you squinted long enough it almost looked like a living room, (of course a rural version) Ginny, still slightly breathless from her run, moved to sit on one of the mounds and looked up at the light as if to say "This it? Are we here?"

For an answer the light suddenly burst with a surprisingly loud bang, sending rays of brilliant light diving through the night sky.

"Oh" Ginny said dumbstruck, an odd feeling of loss threatening to emerge. As quick as if a cloak had suddenly swept over her, the forest went completely dark. Ginny swallowed and tried to peer through the darkness but it was no use, she couldn't even see her own hand never mind any lurking dangers.

"Hello" said a soft voice, like the falling of blossom on a summer day.

Ginny looked anxiously around; not entirely sure if the unearthly voice was real or just a runaway thread of her imagination.

"Hello" it repeated in its fey way.

Now certain of it being real, Ginny answered hesitantly "Hello…"

The circular area rapidly filled with light, not the defintively intense glow of Ginny's departed guide but a natural, almost normal light, like the kind you'd expect on a sunny day. Stranger still was the fact that the surrounding forest retained its heavy shroud of darkness, even the sky above the circle remained a deep, midnight blue.

Ginny shut her eyes against the new light and when she opened them her loud gasp echoed around the forest. Sitting on the opposite mound of ground was a small…woman…there was no other way to describe it. But this woman was no mere mortal; she was barely two foot tall for one. Her impossibly red hair curled tightly around a small, oval face free of the freckles which would normally come with such a vivid colour. Her small face could not be classed as beautiful but it did have a certain charm, a mischievous way which matched the glint in her emerald eyes. Her small, svelte body was completely covered by a large poncho like garment of a musty brown colour but although the outsized outfit easily covered any curves, it couldn't quite hide the large, multi-coloured wings which sprang from her back.

"Wings!" Ginny blurted out incredulously "You're a faerie!"

The small being scoffed loudly and responded in a voice distinctly unlike the one she used earlier "Faerie! Do I look like a Faerie?"

"Well yeah" Ginny asked, recovering from her surprise "You're a bit big I suppose but certainly faerie like"

Scrunching up her tiny nose, the alleged faerie said "Well I'm not; end of story actually there is no story, nope! Not even a tiny footnote on an inexistent story written in invisible 'stop talking rubbish' ink." The being drew her breath and finished with a loud "Okay!"

Ginny not sure if she should laugh or back away very slowly, nodded and changed the subject "So it was you who brought me here?"

"Yes" she responded calmly and said apologetically "Sorry about the outburst. I was sent here to talk to our saviour and I end up spewing out my life story. Sorry again. By the way the name is Fainee."

"Saviour!" Ginny spat out "What the hell are you talking about?" Her dream came flooding back to her the hands, grasping, choking…she couldn't breath…No!

"What are you?" she added in a failing voice.

Fainne let out a sigh and her young features seemed to age in an instance.

"It does not matter who we are. You are the only thing that matters. I haven't much time and we have so much to discuss" she said soberly, her manner once again changing.

"You didn't answer my question" Ginny responded angrily, the dream was still swimming in her mind along with the many, many unanswered questions.

"You are who you are. Saviour is just another word to describe you Ginny Weasley. But even that is unclear. Nothing can be certain you of all people should know that"

Ginny nodded and an alarming thought occurred to her, I've forgotten him! How could I forget about my own father! He's dead and I'm sitting in a forest thinking only of myself! How could I? What kind of daughter am I…was I?

"Don't fret girl, forgetting about him for an instance doesn't mean he's not in your heart forever"

Ginny was broken from her guilt and let out a mocking "Ha!" where did she get her material Ginny thought.

Fainne's small face smiled and she said in a lighter tone "Wow! That was sappy. I must have read it on a card or something…Anyway lets get down to business"

Ginny looked speculatively at Fainne, wondering whether to just leave or actually listen to the insuring madness. She decided on the latter.

"The dream" Fainee began (Ginny wondered not for the first time if Fainee could read thoughts) "Was sent to you by the upper circle, a group of….people who know things and I mean know things. Knowledge is like an aphrodisiac to them. They are part of the…people" she once again stalled slightly "who you my dear will save, or might save…It really depends whether you turn to the dark side and become Voldemort's lapdog"

"What!?" Ginny said, caught between a shout of outrage and a whisper of fear.  
Fainne blanched her former perky exterior fading away as she scolded herself "Damn! I shouldn't have said that…stupid, stupid me! Just forget it…I meant nothing by it. Just forget it"  
Ginny moved towards Fainne, her body suddenly chilled and shuddering "Tell me what you meant!" she demanded in a low, dangerous voice. Her heart had begun to thud heavily and long-dead memories, ones which terrified her to the core, had begun to stir like a slumbering demon waking from a long sleep.  
"I can not tell you" Fainne uttered apologetically, a hint of panic causing her voice to quiver. Her eyes had become strangely wide and fearful as if the girl advancing towards her was more than just a young witch; much, much more than an angry mortal.

"Tell me!" Ginny said once more. It wasn't a question, it was an order. Fainne looked around the forest, silently asking the shadows for guidance.  
"Ok" Fainne sighed after a long hush "But I cannot give you any answers that you do not already know"  
Ginny did not understand but nodded for Fainne to continue.  
"You remember if course your first year and Tom Riddle…"  
A haunting chill ran through Ginny…how could she forget?  
"We watched you even then; we watched how we took over your body and polluted your mind. You were so young and so alone but we were powerless to help. If we had somehow prevented it from happening, then who knows how we could have damaged the future? Not only ours but yours too. You see Ginny, everything does happen for a reason, I know it sounds like a flimsy excuse, but believe me its true"  
Ginny looked down at her hands, a bitter laugh threatening to seep through. How could she say that there was a 'reason for everything'? How could that possibly be true? Was it right that an eleven year old child, a girl who had never done anything wrong in her life, be put through such horror? Was her father's death meant to be? Was it right that her mother should have lost her soul mate and that the only thing keeping her from wasting away, was her children?

"I can only imagine" Fainne continued "what you must have gone through Ginny. I know full well the blackness of Voldemort's soul but I have never had the displeasure of meeting him face to face, of that I am thankful"  
A twisted scowl marred Ginny's face and she thought sourly good for you!  
"To answer your question Ginny, we are not entirely sure why he wants you back we only know that he does. Visions have been seen, terrible visions of you and him…" Fainne winced in disgust before finishing grimly "…together"

Ginny shook her head in confusion and odium, what this strange creature was saying was utter madness! Ludicrous ramblings of a disturbed mind. It had to be. But however much Ginny repeated this frantically in her mind, a creeping animal of doubt seemed to have nestled in her mind. Flashbacks of the cold chamber and the soft, seductive words of Tom came flooding back to her, adding further fuel to a fire of fear.

"You're lying" Ginny said in a pleading tone "You're insane, Tom…I mean he doesn't want me. What use could I possibly be to him?"

Fainne was lost for words. How could she possibly tell the girl that her path led to darkness? That the great and powerful gifts, she had yet to discover might mean the deaths of all she held dear? As she looked in the hurt and lost eyes of the girl, Fainne wondered why she had been set to guide such a creature. Fainne was a being of light, one of the few of kind left in the world, so why should it be her whose job it was to prevent such a girl from becoming…evil? It seemed so difficult to look at the small girl, with her halo of flame coloured hair and see a future creature of wickedness, but Fainne knew it was true. She had seen the visions, she had seen the blood, the horror, the death and she had seen the redhead dancing amidst it, a look of freedom on her pale, beautiful face.

No, I must do this, Fainne resolved; I must save this innocent from becoming Voldemort's wretched pet. I must.

"What use could I be?" Ginny croaked once more, no longer feeling anger only ice cold dread.

Fainne broke from her thoughts and said softly "I'm sure you've been told before, he wants to abuse your gifts"

A half formed memory of her father came and then vanished.

"I've heard this before" said an unsure Ginny "But I don't understand, I have no gifts" she reached for her wand before remembering she had left it inside "I'm not even that good at magic"

Fainne's tiny face grew hard and she said shortly "Don't do that! Don't sell yourself short. You have powers, trust me you do. They will come to you shortly"

Ginny shook her head, what was she talking about? Her brother and Harry were the special ones, she was just…

"No!" Fainne stated, dismissing Ginny's thoughts "You have a strength that even Harry Potter could only dream of. You're not just somebody's sister or daughter, you will be more powerful than you can imagine and nobody, nobody can take that away from you"

Ginny stared at Fainne, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. When she spoke her voice was heavy with contempt and disbelief "You're inane! Who are you to lure me here in the middle of the night, declaring me a saviour and then telling me Tom wants me back? Even if I did believe you, which I don't, what makes you think I care? If I have all these…" she stopped and scoffed sarcastically "…powers then I can look after myself. I don't need any schizophrenic Tinkerbelle telling me what to do!"

Fainne sighed and closely scrutinized the girl before her. Ginny's face was flushed and her hands were placed on her lips in a stance of determination, but for those who looked closer, as Fainne did, would have seen a barely hidden panic and vulnerability in the girl's deep brown eyes; a reminder that this was just a sixteen year old child, one who had not only lost her father but also herself.

"I cannot tell you everything just yet Ginny. But your powers will come, weak at first and then so intense that your whole body will convulse with the shock. When they do come back to me, here in the forest where it is safe and I will help you" Fainne spoke solemnly, displaying a completely different persona to the one so outraged at being labelled a 'faerie'

Completely unsure of everything she had heard, Ginny merely stared at Fainne and for long minutes the forest was deathly silent. Fainne spread out her tiny, beautiful wings and flew to Ginny's side, barely coming past her knees. Ginny looked down at the creature, whose red hair was so much brighter than her own, is this a face that would lie? She wondered in confusion.

"Here" Fainne said, gesturing for Ginny to hold out her hand. Crouching slightly, she did so and Fainne placed a small ring in the centre of her white palm. It was of no colour and every colour and the jewel at the centre of it was of a strange brown colour, the exact shade of Ginny's eyes.

"For protection" Fainne said, looking up at her new charge, a girl of both light and dark.

A second ball of brilliant light popped up out of nowhere, it was time to leave. Ginny began walking back but before she reached the edge of the circle she turned back and said quietly "I don't believe you" before carrying on.

Fainne stared at the retreating girl, whose hair was a bright beacon through the darkness. Sadness stirred inside her, this child would face much hardship, she would carry a heavy burden for one do young and yet there was no escape, no easy answer. Events, however painful, must run their course. Fainne let out a heavy, sorrowful sigh and responded to a hushed forest….

"You will"

_In upcoming chapters- Ginny begins to discover her hidden talents. While Voldemort blackmails a vengeful Draco into spying on her- a fact Ginny will not take kindly to…_

_Harry takes on a larger role in Ginny's life (what do you think romantic or purely friendship?) Any ideas would be GREATLY welcomed. Thanks!_


	7. HeadSpin

**Head Spin**

Draco Malfoy let out an impatient sigh; he had been watching her all morning and…nothing. Not a foot out of place or a single hair astray. He supposed she did look a little frazzled and wide-eyed, but who was to say that wasn't her normal appearance? It wasn't as if he had ever really noticed her before; he had never even given a spare thought to the youngest Weasley never mind deciphering her every facial expression and move.

She had just been a fixture to him, another dratted Weasley in the Hogwarts background. Nothing special. Nobody important.  
He didn't even hate her…of course he would throw in the odd remark, a 'swamp rat' here and a 'little runt' there, but that was only to be expected. Her brothers on the other, he despised with every bone in his body; one hour in a windowless room and a defenseless Ron would be his Christmas come early…but for her he felt nothing.

His cool eyes, so like his father's, travelled lazily back to the Gryffindor table where the girl sat staring at her uneaten toast, her fingers nervously playing with a strange ring which seemed to be melded on. Draco, thinking nothing of it, drew his hand through his sleek, blond hair, yet another feature he shared with his father. "Come on, come on Weasley, do something!" he said under his breath.

Ever since he had been set his 'mission' he had watched her, he had seen how her fists would slowly grind when people uttered the obligatory condolences. "I'm so sorry" they would say, not because they meant it but because it was the right thing to do. A person dies and you feel regret but that regret is nothing compared to the relief, the guilty relief that comes with the thought 'rather you than me'

At least I didn't get that Draco had thought at the time, somewhat bitterly. Only reliable old Dumbledore (the hypocrite!) had gone through the motions and gazed down his crooked nose with a look of compassion, only he had said softly "I'm sorry for your loss Draco", only he had bothered to remember that a boy had lost his father and that the same boy was feeling like the open wound would never heal.

Now tiring with his observation of Ginny, Draco thought for what must have been the millionth time, to why he had been set this task, what was it with this girl and why exactly did Voldemort care so much about her? But all those questions were futile, on that day he had been given no answers. On that day he had been given no choice.

It had all began with simplest of sounds.

Knock. Knock.

"Draco?" an excited sounding voice ventured "Are you awake?"  
Draco, who hadn't slept properly since the disappearance, was laying on his bed, fully dressed, his grey eyes staring intently at the ceiling. His brow had knotted in annoyance as he recognized the pathetic voice. Mother. All I need he thought sullenly.

"Come in" he responded at last, making his exasperated voice sound as neutral as possible.  
Narcissa Malfoy rushed in, a strangely eager expression on her once beautiful face. Draco cast a disgusted glare over to his oblivious mother, how wretched she looks! He thought what would father say? What would he say if he saw his trophy wife now?

His mother had once been prized for her appearance, 'the ice princess' they had once labelled her. She was the perfect wife; obedient, loyal, simple and most of all beautiful but now…Draco mentally scorned at the empty shell before him, Narcissa's long blonde hair was unkempt and matted, her face was smeared with yesterday's heavy make up; a painted mask which hid nothing. Her long nightdress, made of the finest silk, was creased and stained with alcohol, it hung off her skeletal frame, exposing not flesh but bone.

"Oh darling" she cooed, as she perched on Draco's bed "I have good news"  
Draco's face remained expressionless; his mother had promised 'good news' everyday since his father had first gone missing. This was bound to be yet another snippet of useless gossip, leads which his mother was ecstatically believe in and which would eventually lead to nothing Every time his mother would fall in the trap of hoping and every time Draco watched without feeling.  
If she doesn't want to face up to reality, then its her problem Draco had reasoned with himself let her keep her delusions  
Narcissa leaned closer to Draco and said with a strange smile "Your father, he's alive"  
"Yeah? Great" Draco replied unenthusiastically, how many times had he heard this?  
His mother, oblivious to Draco's indifferent response, nodded fervently and said happily "Yes It's true! Finally he's coming home" she looked seriously at Draco for a moment and said sadly "I've missed him so much"

It was at this point when Draco had wanted to slap her, simply smack some sense into her empty head. She's so stupid! He knew full well that his father held little love for his wife; to him she was just another possession, a particularly pretty but ultimately worthless one. In his father's eyes she had served her purpose, she had provided him with an heir, a boy to carry on the family name.  
Despite the many affairs on Lucius part and the constant violent arguments, she had stuck with him, too blind or too weak to leave. For that reason alone Draco hated her. He hated her frailty, unable to be a person without him at her side. In the past he had looked at them together, seen how his mother would hang on Lucius's every word, smiling and nodding at the expected times, and he had pitied his father. Actually felt sympathy for the man who had to abide with such a sniveling weakling.

"Anyway" Narcissa continued brightly, her eyes gleaming "Your daddy is coming home! Aren't you pleased darling?"  
"Mother" Draco responded in a firm voice "How do you know? What makes this any different from yesterday or the day before? You said he was coming home last week remember? You got all dressed up and he never came did he? You can't keep doing this. You have to face reality!"

Narcissa's face changed into that of a spoilt child, denied of her favourite toy, and she said nastily "Oh what would you know?! You never even leave this room…stuck up here all the time, what would you know?"

She stood up and paced up and down the room, talking to herself, mumbling reassurances under her breath and shooting snide looks at her son.

"Oh what would he know? Stupid, stupid boy. Nothing like his father…ungrateful little brat"

Draco closed his eyes, not wanting to look at his pathetic excuse for a mother any longer. He desperately wished his father was here, his father who unlike the demented creature before him, he loved and respected. Lucius was a man you could look up to, not look down on and despise.

Narcissa suddenly stopped in her tracks and rushed over to Draco, her pallid, bony arms reaching out to envelop him.

"I'm so sorry Draco" she bleated, tears flowing freely down her cheeks. The stench of alcohol seemed to be stitched in her skin.

"I didn't mean that, you know I didn't. Oh… I love him so much it hurts. I just want him back then we can be a family again!" she finished with a hatefully hopeful look in her tear-swollen eyes. She moved closer to her son, any past restrain and dignity had long since disappeared.

"And we can get him back. You and me, together" she whispered gleefully "All he wants is one tiny thing in return and then he'll tell us where Lucius is"

Draco narrowed his eyes and asked in a slow voice "He? Who do you mean?"

"He? He?" Narcissa said mockingly "The Dark Lord of course, who else would I mean?" she smiled as if speaking to a toddler and added "silly boy!"

A sense of deep foreboding ran through Draco, a sense that this conversation, this day would only lead to ill consequences. He stared intently at his mother, whose gaunt face was far too close to his own; a mad streak could be seen on every inch of her wasted features.

"The Dark Lord? He's spoken to _you_" The last word was spat out; Draco couldn't see how his father's master could ever lower himself to speak to such a woman.

"Yes!" she responded in a voice which carried great pride, foolish pride.

"Yes! I was summoned and I went, of course I did. He told me that he can help us Draco…he can find my husband! All you have to do is…"

"Me!" Draco interrupted a hint of trepidation in his voice.

"Yes dear" his mother nodded eagerly, as if bestowing a great gift to him.

"You are to go to him tonight…he has a special job for you Draco. You're going to follow in your father's footsteps. You're going to serve the Dark Lord and bring Lucius back" she reached out her bony hand and lovingly stroked his horrified, chalk-white face.

"Yes baby" she cajoled "Tonight the Dark Lord will be waiting for you"

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"Remember what I told you boy!" a deep, gruff voice said to Draco. "When you go in bow your head and when asked, only when asked, speak properly, that means no insolent mumbling, got it?"

Draco, who had been blindfolded through the long walk in the forest, nodded in the general direction of the voice. Underneath his thick, black robes, an uncontrollable shiver of dread ran up and down his body. He carried the strength of the esteemed Malfoy family in his bones, his father's blood ran through his veins and he was Draco the Dragon, bastard of Slytherin house, but all this boiled down to nothing. None of it mattered; no comfort or consolation could be gained from a name.

He was seventeen years old and he was going to face a nightmare.

"Right one other thing…don't look in his eyes, don't dare to look at the Dark Lord" the voice growled and said spitefully "You are not worthy!"

Draco strongly resisted the urge to respond; swallowing his pride he answered dully "Fine, I'm ready"

The Death Eater let out a crackling, sardonic laugh and said dryly "You'll never be ready" his large hands moved to snatch away Draco's blindfold, as it did the boy swore he could smell the metallic tinge of blood.

Now free from his view of darkness, Draco looked around disorientated, his eyes slowly adapting to the new sight. He was in a long, dingy stone corridor, which was barely lit by sparse, floating fires. The decrepit ceiling, which seemed to be slowly sinking, was extremely low, adding to Draco's growing feeling of entrapment, no escape…he thought uneasily as he absorbed his grimy, underground prison.

"Go on then!" ordered the Death Eater. Draco quickly turned around to see his 'companion', a short but bulky man of fearsome appearance, pointing towards a concealed door at the very end of the corridor. Draco, with a look of intense apprehension, took a step forward and then stalled.

_I don't want to do this! I really don't!_ He thought helplessly to himself. But no matter how many times he let his fear take over, it was no good, he had no choice.

Taking a deep breath, Draco walked bravely to the door. Ignoring his hammering heart and petrified mind, his fist knocked on the door.

_No answer_ he thought with relief _Perhaps he's not here_ he wished stupidly _Perhaps…_

"Enter!" a cold voice shrieked, dashing Draco's hopes and freezing his blood.

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Draco bowed to the Dark Lord, not daring to look up; he kept his eyes firmly on the ground. The infamous Malfoy bravado, which he had abundantly shown in the past, had all but deserted him. In the cold chamber, only one thought kept him from running out, only one reminder kept his feet still on the ground…father, this is for you. I'm doing this to get you back…

"Master Malfoy, how kind of you to join me. I hope your journey wasn't too uncomfortable." Voldemort said politely from his throne. If the words had come from anybody else they would have been harmless, mere pleasantries, but when they were uttered from his reptilian lips, they took on a whole new meaning; he could make the simplest word seem like a deadly threat.  
"I apologize for the blindfold, but needs must. We've had a few…security problems of late. People wandering in from who knows where…people who don't know their place"  
Voldemort smiled down at Draco, who of which was still staring at the floor as if his life depended on it.

"Won't you look at me boy? I'm I too grotesque for your delicate eyes!" Voldemort said in a soft, lethal voice. His horrible red eyes swept over the bowing teenager, a look of both simmering disgust and twisted lust burning brightly in them.  
Draco's throat felt like sandpaper, rough and sore. Without replying he slowly lifting his head and gazed at his father's master.  
Voldemort smirked and said gently "Good boy". If he saw the look of complete and utter revulsion on Draco's face, he chose to ignore it.  
"Now you may be wondering why I called you here, why I spoke to your tart of a mother. She was delighted when I told her that Lucius was alive and I could find him. Oh yes, I warrant she would do almost anything for that information…." Voldemort leered suggestively at Draco, his bony hand reaching to caress himself before quickly moving away as he continued "But no, I wouldn't touch your father's leftovers. What I want in return is far more important to me, far more beneficial in the long run"

Draco, cringing slightly, forced himself to speak "You said you had information on my father, what is it?"  
A high laugh sprang in the air, "Oh Draco my boy!" Voldemort teased "You have some spine after all, not many would demand from me. It's quite a novelty" he spoke in a light voice but one which carried a warning to Draco; remember who you're talking to!

"But no I will not tell you. Not yet. First you have to do something for me. You scratch my back; I scratch yours…so to speak. I want you to watch someone for me, I want you to follow their every move and report it back"

Draco looked speculatively at the Dark Lord, his curiosity overcoming his fear "That's all? That's all you want me to do?"  
Draco had spent all day imaging the very worst of possibilities; he had disgusted himself with his own thoughts, images of the very lowest deeds of human nature had tainted his mind and threatened to weaken his will…but this he had not expected, he had not thought to get off so lightly.

Voldemort nodded and said simply "That will be all. Sounds simple enough doesn't it? A resourceful boy like you shouldn't find it too difficult"

Draco, not quite believing that this would bring back his father (it seemed far too easy…something felt wrong…) questioned Voldemort "If I do this you'll tell me about my father, you'll be good to your word?"

The Dark Lord smirked and lied "You have my word"

Lucius Malfoy did not raise a stupid child, Draco knew better than to swallow Voldemort's promises, promises that were as hollow as his mother's head. He quickly ran through the loop holes and pitfalls in his mind; if he did this there was a chance, however slim, that he could get his father back but if he walked out of this room (that's if he could) then he may never see his father again, never know if he was alive or dead. No, there was no alternative. He had no choice but to trust Voldemort, however foolish that may seem.

"Who?" Draco asked in a resigned but interested tone "Who do you want me to watch?"

"Ginny Weasley" replied Voldemort in a hungry voice. Warped desire flickered in his eyes and his forked tongue whipped out to wet his lips.

"What?!" Draco said in surprise what would he want with a Weasel? especially a little girl?! Draco wondered in disbelief. He had an image of the girl in question in his head, a small, whiny girl drooling over Potter, all garish red hair and freckles. Why her?

"My reasons are my own Master Malfoy. Do this task for me and I will reveal the fate of your father, if you refuse then you will never know. Before you make your choice, consider your poor mother…what would she do without her wittle hubbie" Voldemort finished scornfully.

"I'll do it" Draco stated without a second thought. If spying on one girl was all it took to return his father, then he would do it without question.

"Good" Voldemort smirked, his whole face lighting up with an unnerving glow, his manner seemed to scream victory.  
"Good boy" he repeated. Nodding in dismissal he said "You may leave"

Draco, taking one last look at the distorted figure before him, walked over to the door and gratefully stepped through it.

He didn't see the strange, circular crystal which Voldemort brought out from under his robes. He didn't see how the Dark Lord held the object to his forehead and then towards his hungry red eyes, all the time whispering deathly murmurs in to it. He didn't see the crystal providing its answer through the swirling images, which moved as if mist around the object, before forming familiar figures. If he had seen, then he would have found his own face staring up at him, with a look of such awful emotion that he would never believe it to be true.

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"Nice ring" Hermione said over breakfast the following morning.

Ginny who had been mindlessly eating the dry toast, looked up in surprise at her friend, a look of bewilderment on her face.

"The ring, it's nice" Hermione said once more, this time gesturing to Ginny's finger where the strange, every colour ring shone.

Ginny slowly looked down at her finger and her breath caught, _I forgot_ she thought stupidly _How could I forget about that!_ All of last night came flooding back to her, the light, the strange creature Fainne but the thing she most remembered was Fainne's warning, the horrible idea that he would return…Tom would come back to claim her. Ginny shivered despite herself, although she had firmly decided not to believe Fainne; had sternly claimed that nothing could break her steely resolve of disbelief, there was no stopping the fear, the dreadful, unstoppable terror that would creep in every time she breathed. But worst of all there was another feeling, a hidden, horrible feeling…

_Oh stop it!_ She demanded of herself _you can't carry on like this! Scared of your own shadow! Where is the girl who stormed the ministry of magic, faced death eaters and came out alive? _The self-pitying voice in her head replied nastily _Oh you mean the tag along? They would have done a lot better if they didn't have little old you to look after! Young Ginny with her little black book and her stupid idea of friendship… that's all you wanted wasn't it, a friend? How pathetic are you? The only friend you can get is a mass-murdering monster and even he was only pretending! _

"Shut up!" Ginny burst out aloud, sending her goblet of juice flying across the table. Luckily the great hall was all but deserted; only Hermione and one other person stared at the angry redhead.

"What is it?" Hermione asked, her brow furrowed in concern and her expression perplexed.

Ginny's white faced dread was quickly replaced by a burning red blush. _Oh bugger! _

Hastily thinking of a plausible excuse, Ginny stuck with the tried and tested "Nothing"

Hermione looked at her through shrewd eyes; with an uncanny resemblance to Professor McGonagall she started "Ginny…?"

"It's nothing!" Ginny said abruptly with a hint of anger.

Leaving the hall and her dry toast behind, Ginny walked out of the Great hall, not once looking back at Hermione.

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Ginny walked aimlessly down the corridor, her mind preoccupied with many muddled thoughts. The incident in the Great Hall had been far too close, not only had she embarrassed herself (what was new?) but she also gained Hermione's attention, something which would most certainly lead to unwanted worry from her brother. Ron had already begun to watch her, no doubt noticing her strange behaviour; it wouldn't be long before he began asking tricky questions, questions which she honestly couldn't answer.

For some reason she didn't want to tell anyone about her strange forest creature or the words of woe it had said. Even though the thoughts of Voldemort and his apparent interest, terrified her, she had no desire to share the horrid knowledge with anyone else. It would feel wrong to divulge such private matters, wrong to expose her connection with the Dark Lord. Ginny's common sense revolted at such an idea, that she wanted to somehow 'protect' Voldemort in whatever abstract way, left her sickened but there was no denying the truth.

Now she was beginning to come to terms with last nights revelations, a small part of her no longer felt fear, no, it had somehow gone beyond that. The tiny piece of herself which even she couldn't understand, had begun to feel something quite different from terror…it certainly wasn't happiness but then again it definitely wasn't dread.

"Shit!" Ginny swore, as a sudden pain surged through her side. A large bulk had bumped into her, sending rolls of parchment flying into the air. But before she had time to even look at the person, who had so rudely crashed into her, an unexpected feeling of light-headedness swept over her.

It seemed as if her whole mind had been rapidly washed away, only to be replaced by foreign thoughts. She no longer felt like herself, she felt blank, like a new sheet of paper. But at the same time inexplicably full, so full that she felt an explosion was imminent. Thoughts and memories, which were not her own, had begun to scream in her head. It was if a tornado of images was spinning, faster and faster, so fast she felt like she would burst from the chaos. Odd voices, people from an unfamiliar past, had begun to drum in her ears, some whispered, some cried and others shouted. But through the din, one voice stood out, one voice was a saint in the rabble. It was soft and tender, a woman's voice to be sure, it sang so sweetly and carried such love that Ginny could almost forget about the crescendo of voices which rang in her ears.

But the one voice was fading away, its beautiful sing-song voice being buried in the vocal mania. With a renewed sense of panic, Ginny blindly spread out her arms, looking for something to hold on to; a sense of reality to steady her.

Grasping out, Ginny tightened her fingers around a thin wrist. But instead of the cold skin bringing her back it only spun her on. She felt herself being dragged away from her body, leaving the comfort of her shell and being harshly funnelled into someone else.

She no longer simply felt that person's memories, she was is one…

"_Please don't do this Sarah. You have no idea what he's like. You have no idea of his power" a youngish man said, his black eyes looking desperately at his lover. His long raven hair fell silkily around his pointed face and his arms were tightly holding onto her shoulders, as if to let go was to lose everything. Sarah smiled sadly and she reached up a hand to stroke his pale cheek, a look a pained determination in her big, blue eyes. _

"_You don't understand Severus, you don't know what its like to have something so terrible inside you, something you can't control. I feel like its tearing me apart, turning me inside out. I want to feel normal; I want to be a good person. This power…this gift is too much for me, all it brings is misery. The only way he'll stop corrupting me is if he dies" _

_Severus looked at Sarah, her unruly mass of honey curls circling her pretty face. He often wondered how he, a bastard son, a bullied boy and a horrid man, was deserving of such a beautiful person. _

"_There has to be another way" he spoke "Why should you throw away your life? We can find a way to control it, perhaps even strip your powers. Let others deal with him, let them die!" _

_Sarah winced and responded more firmly "Don't say that! You risk your life every day! Even if there is the slimmest chance of destroying him, I'm willing to try"_

"_I don't matter"_

"_Yes" Sarah said "You do. He's planning such awful things. When I manage to slip by his defences and look into his mind, the things I see are just…." She shivered and continued "depraved. He's planning on killing a child. A baby, Severus! I will not have the blood of a child on my conscience. I will not stand by and let him do that! And neither will you. My life is unimportant, if I fail there will come another, both stronger and braver than me" _

"_What do you mean?" he asked, disgusted that Sarah was speaking in such a way. He wouldn't lose her. He couldn't lose her. _

_Sarah's face took on the dreamy quality it possessed whenever she looked in the future, her eyes stayed closed for several seconds before opening; her iris were now red, as if a tiny flame burned in them. _

"_I can see her. I only hope that she has the strength to resist…."_

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Ginny felt a wrenching hand pull her back from the memory. She pulled against it with all her might. She felt like she needed to see more of Sarah, she felt a deep affinity, almost a kinship with the woman. But it was no good, the hand was too strong. She began to feel the bizarre sensation of being transported from one body to the next. Within seconds she was in her own mind again, blessedly reunited with her own thoughts and being. Now that the voices were gone, her mind felt strangely empty, almost like a piece of herself had been stripped from her, lost in the abyss.

Suddenly realizing that she was still gripping on to the thin wrist, Ginny quickly let go and stared into the deathly pale face of Snape. As she looked into his dark eyes the oddest thought seemed to flow through her _I can see you, I have seen inside you…Snape, I know you! _

For the briefest of seconds she felt a triumphant sense of control, a seductive inner voice seemed to whisper _'You have the power, use it, use him' _but this soon departed, leaving only the thinnest trace, as Snape snatched his arm away, a conflicted look contorting his face.

"What…?" He managed to rasp after a period of stifling silence. His eyes bored into hers, searching, accusing "…did you see?" he finished surprising both Ginny and himself.

_How the hell does he know_ Ginny wondered, mouth agape _I don't even know!_

The stunned pair both still lay sprawled on the floor, eyeing each other with equal contempt and suspicion, when a large group of seventh years came bustling through the corridor, among them, Harry Potter. Harry immediately rushed over to Ginny, helping her up, whilst staring at Snape, a stern look in his green eyes.

"Are you ok?" he asked of the redhead, who still hadn't stopped glaring at the professor. Her mind was spinning. _What just happened?_ She thought _I was inside his head! Actually seeing his thoughts! His memories! Is this what Fainne mean? Is this my 'gift' or was it just…something else? And what about Sarah, I felt something when I saw her, some connection. I know, I just know that she has a part in all this, all the madness, all the secrets; she has or…had a part to play. I need answers…_

Ginny, not noticing the boy at her side, moved closer to the figure on the floor, her initial confusion now turning to curiosity. But before she could question Snape, Harry drew her back and stood in front of her, leaving no choice but to look directly at him.

"Ginny are you ok?" he asked once more. He was frowning and his face was serious, as it often was these days.

Blinking, Ginny looked at Harry, only just acknowledging his presence. She responded in a distracted voice "Oh Harry, I'm fine…I just tripped and fell into…"

She looked around expecting to see beady black eyes surveying her; but Snape was gone, only a few rolls of parchment lay in his place.

She quickly glanced up and down the now bustling corridor, but the sweep of Snape's black robes was nowhere to be seen. She let out a small huff of frustration, for the first time ever she had wanted to see Snape and now he had disappeared…perfect!

"You heading to the common room?" Harry queried, taking note of Ginny's distracted demeanour and wild, searching eyes.

"Erm…" Ginny began absently "No. I wanted to find someone…I mean somewhere quite" she rubbed her head and added unconvincingly "I've got a killer headache. I should probably go and have a nap or something…" she trailed off, annoyed with her limited lying skills, especially with the boy in front of her.

"Yeah?" Harry responded wryly, his black eyebrows raised "Perhaps I could come with you, I feel a headache of my own coming on, Ron and Hermione are up to their usual 'I love you but I'm going to kill you' thing…"

Ginny spluttered, turning pink "You want to go have a nap…with me!?"

"What? Oh God! I didn't mean that!" Harry stammered, an embarrassingly bright blush colouring his cheeks. He nervously rubbed a hand through his messy hair and continued apologetically "Not that I wouldn't…I mean you're not…y'know…or anything"

Ginny's mouth quirked up and she commented dryly "Thanks (!)"

Shaking his head, Harry let out an uneasy little laugh and said "Sorry I have my bumbling idiot hat on today. What I meant to say, before I totally humiliated myself, was that, well, I was hoping we could have a talk. In private"

Ginny looked speculatively at Harry and said somewhat dubiously "Let me guess, an annoyingly overprotective sibling has something to do with this? One with a particular penchant, for bushy hair and chess, perhaps?"

Harry once again smiled wryly and said lightly "Why Miss Weasley, what a suspicious mind you do have…but no, I promise you Ron is oblivious" Harry dropped his voice and continued "Which is fortunate, since he'd probably string me up for talking to his little sister…alone"

Scoffing, Ginny agreed. Ron did like to ensure his sister's life was testosterone free zone.

"So what" she began hesitantly "did you want to talk about?" she was afraid that this little chat would soon turn into one of those 'It'll get better soon' conversations.

Turning suddenly serious, Harry looked down at the redheaded girl, a comfortable expression on his handsome face.

"I heard about what happened in Snape's lesson. I don't blame you; I mean who wouldn't want to tell the bastard where to stick his wand…But you needn't get into trouble for shouting; if you ever want someone to yell at…." He stopped and shifted nervously before adding "…I'm always here"

Ginny looked up at Harry in surprise. For the last few years she had always thought of him as Ron's friend, never considering the idea that he might want to be friends with her…or something else entirely. Not wanting to complicate things even further (is that possible?) she simply smiled and placed a friendly hand on his arm in thanks.

But in the instant her palm made contact with his body, a rush of energy ran through her, sending shivers down her spine. Unlike before with Snape, she didn't enter his mind, no, thus time was different. She felt suddenly stronger, like the magic within her had been tripled, it felt…glorious. His power, the unique power he possessed, rushed through her veins. She felt that if a snake was there right then, she would be able to command it at her will.

"Ginny?" Harry uttered breathlessly, he felt himself growing weaker all at once. His body was cooling, as a mysterious breeze streamed through him. Ginny, dizzy with the spasms of new power, quickly let her vibrating hand fall from his arm. As fast as it had come, the power drained out of her, leaving her winded and queasy.

Harry, still shaken but his strength returning, looked carefully at Ginny, not knowing whether the girl had anything to do with what had just happened. _Perhaps it was just_ _me_ he justified _too many late nights_

"Harry…" Ginny started, wondering what she could possibly say, what possible explanation could she fabricate.

"I've got to go…somewhere important. Bye!" she finished somewhat inanely before swooping up her bag and running down the corridor.

Ginny sprinted down the staircase, ignoring the strange looks and shouts of pupils who got in her way. Pushing past, she headed outside, not noticing that she was being followed.

Heedless of the risk of being seen out of bounds in broad daylight, Ginny raced over the grounds and with a quick, anxious look, entered the forbidden forest. Looking for answers.

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"Hmm…" a voice in the shadows mused. He stood under a large tree, its thick branches sheltering from daylight exposure. A curious expression played on his perfectly pale face, his tall form leaned casually on the tree trunk as he watched her go deeper and deeper into the forest. Brushing back his longish blond hair, Draco Malfoy drew his cloak around him and with a wolfish smile, followed the girl.


	8. Hints

**Chapter Eight Hints**

"Did you know of this?" Snape demanded of Dumbledore. He stood in the headmaster's office, his breath coming quickly, his body tense and his manner sharp.

Dumbledore, seated behind his grand desk, spoke wearily "Ah…if you are referring to Ginny Weasley…then no. I had my suspicions but they were just that. I suppose my mind began turning just after her first year, over five years ago. The reason why Voldemort selected her was ever a mystery to me. I put it down to mere chance at first, a chance meeting in a bookshop where Mr.Malfoy spied his opportunity. But over the years…"

Dumbledore trailed off, his voice lost under the great, snowy beard. What he had told Severus was not entirely true- his doubting, his wonder and even his fears concerning the girl stretched far back – but such truths could not be told at such a time, such secrets could only be revealed when need called them.

"This was how it began with Sarah" Snape said shakily, the name he had tried so hard to forget, causing his throat to tighten.

"Yes" Dumbledore agreed heavily. The memory of the young woman's fate lay heavily on his heart; a burden of guilt which only grew over the years.

"We can not be sure of anything, but we must remain vigilant. If Miss Weasley does have the gift, then we must help her in anyway we can." Dumbledore peered through his spectacles, wise blue eyes carefully scrutinizing the younger man.

"Discreetly of course" he added in a no-nonsense tone "I have no wish to scare her off"

Snape's nostrils flared in anger but her held back any outburst and nodded, keeping his thoughts private.

Gesturing for Snape to leave, Dumbledore absently twirled around his quill, moving it to hover over a certain letter he had yet to sign; the letter which could either prevent the dark future or provoke it. The address on the empty envelope belonged to a widow. The letter told of her only daughter's explosion from the school.

"Perhaps if you were away from here, away from influence, then you would be safe" The headmaster mused out loud, his voice tired and conflicted.

"Or would he come looking for you? Maybe if you could control the powers then you could resist him; be stronger than the many who have failed in the past."

He looked down at the letter, making his decision. A blue flash of light sprang from his pointed wand and within a blink of an eye, the letter was destroyed.

Moving towards the window, Dumbledore looked out over the grounds, where only a minute ago he had seen the girl racing towards the heart of the forest. He let out a bone weary sigh, which fell heavily in the circular room and clung tightly in the air. He seemed all of a sudden like an old man; an old man who carried with him a world of regret and remorse.

"I hope you know what you're doing" he confessed aloud "Don't let this be an old man's mistake"

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"Fainne?" Ginny hissed, her eyes scanning the circular space of forest, the place she had last seem the winged creature.

"Are you here?" she asked out loud. An impatient bubble of curiosity had ballooned inside her, one which demanded answers, wanted to know the breadth of her new power and most importantly wanted to use that power…now

She was just about to yell out when a small form flew out of the thick trees that surrounded the circle and gracefully landed in front of her. Fainne's tiny face was flustered and pink, her body movements slightly agitated.

"Oh it's you, Hello" Fainne said distantly whilst her eyes nervously shifted around the forest. Seeing nothing, she settled down, the flush fading from her face.

She looked up at the girl and smiled, saying more intently "Ah, I thought I'd be seeing you soon"

"Hmm…"Ginny responded indistinctly before a question tumbled from her mouth "What can I do?"

"What can you do?" Fainne repeated slowly, sure of what the girl meant but delaying all the same.

"Yeah" Ginny confirmed impatiently "What powers have I got? The strangest thing just happened I was inside somebody's head; I could see their memories as if they belonged to me. And later with Harry I felt…him in me. I know it probably makes no sense but I felt like I owned his power" She smiled an eerie little smile, the memory replaying in her mind. It had felt weird…but good…really good.

"That's got to be it? Hasn't it?" Ginny said eagerly, eyes bright.

A small frown creased Fainne's face before she schooled her expression to appear neutral.

"Partly" she agreed hesitantly "What happened today was just the beginning"

"You mean there's going to be more?" Ginny responded, her voice excited "Cool"

When she spoke, Fainne's voice was serious "This is not a game Ginny. You remember what I told you about Voldemort, your power is to be used to protect yourself and others. It is not a toy"

"Yes Miss!" Ginny groaned, dismissing the name, which only hours ago, would have left her terrified. The threat of Voldemort now seemed a long way off, a distant danger which no longer seemed so daunting. Whereas her powers were simmering inside her, right there, right then.

"What else can I do?" The girl asked, possibilities running through her mind. Oh invisibility would be good or maybe shape shifting? Hmm…or perhaps flying…oh yeah flying without broomsticks sores…very nice!

"So I'm guessing you believe me now?" Fainne said dryly as she watched the eager expression on the girl's face. Fainne had known that the girl would return, as sure as night follows day, but what she didn't expect was her attitude. Ginny seemed beyond excited; there was a fresh hunger in her coffee coloured eyes which worried Fainne. It was similar to a craving she had once seen in another face; a face she wished to forget.

Nodding, Ginny questioned "Can I read minds? Is that part of this 'gift'"

"Yes and no. What I presume you saw was the past, this you will be able to see but the future and even the present will evade you. Minds are precious things, it would be wrong for you to pry into thoughts which do not belong to you"

"But I could" Ginny said furtively, picking up on Fainne's unspoken words. It would be wrong but I could do it…Ginny mused darkly.

"Anyway" Fainne continued, ignoring Ginny "The power you felt from Harry" she avoided using the word she truly thought…stole.

"Works on the same principle, it needs bodily contact. In time you should be able to control this, choose who you borrow power off. It can be a useful tool, dangerous, but useful"

Ginny moved closer to the winged creature, bending down she outstretched her hands, making ready to touch Fainne's exposed arm.

"No!" Fainne burst out loudly, spreading her wings she flew back a few paces. Ginny's eyes widened in surprise but her mouth had already formed into a thin line of displeasure.

"What's your problem?" Ginny said shortly "I'm not contagious"

Fainne forced a smiled and said in a strained tone "I'm a faerie, I'll admit it. I'm from a long line of under-the-toadstool-giggly-idiots ok? Mind reading doesn't work on magical creatures. It's a proven fact"

"Aren't wizards magical?" Ginny argued angrily. She felt an odd feeling rising within her, a voice which half murmured she can't disobey you, not you…

"It's different" Fainne responded soberly and then added in a lighter tone "Besides I don't like pratical lessons, too messy"

"Whatever" Ginny said sullenly.

"So what are you going to teach me?"

"First off I should outline the basics of your powers" Fainne said in a brisk, businesslike voice. She moved over to perch on one of the mounds of earth, which rose from the ground like an organic armchair. Ginny, once again intrigued by the promise of power, sat on the opposite mound, her legs curled beneath her and her eyes watching Fainne intently.

"Besides the mind reading" the faerie stressed the word, as if she felt Ginny's description far too juvenile. "And the power…sharing" Fainne continued, once again, carefully choosing her words.

"There is or will be your ability to manipulate the weather, bend nature at your will." A cold bead of sweat ran down Fainne's forehead as she observed the look on her charge's face. Weather magic was considered one of the most dangerous and intrusive stands of the craft, it meant changing the very fabric of the natural world. Even great wizards were loathed to mess with such matters; few had the power and even less partook in experimenting with things which no human had the right to.

Yet this girl, this sixteen year old girl, showed no sign of disbelief or fear, there were no traces of awestruck fright in her wide, brown eyes. Instead a smile tugged at her lips and her whole face was lit with the new knowledge. It seemed to Fainne that the girl who sat before her was subtly changed from the one she had met only a day before. The girl of yesterday had been scared, she had been heavy with grief and sadness, Fainne had looked upon her and grieved that her path would be so hard. Fainne had pitied that girl but now…as she looked across at the smirking being, her heart recoiled in fear. She sensed something different about the girl, a hint of darkness…

_How have you changed?_ She mentally anguished _how so quickly? I know the Dark lord had nothing to do with this, I would know if he had. This is all you…Oh Ginny in one day? How? Don't you see it? _She wanted to ask_ don't you feel the darkness creeping in your heart. Why can't you feel it? The hard thing is no one else will notice! They will just see Ginny Weasley, they can't see what I can…they can't see you for what you're becoming, what you will be…a creature of darkness…_

"Anything else?" Ginny asked, her tongue flicking over her lips.

Smothering a shudder, Fainne said shakily "Isn't that enough?"

A little laugh, harmless but to Fainne's ears horribly chilling, rang from Ginny as she responded "If there's more I want to know. I need to know"

"Ok" Fainne breathed out, heart hammering "There is one more thing. You have a fire inside you – a living flame buried deep beneath the surface. It shall not be woken for many a year, it is too difficult to control and too dangerous too unleash. Of all your powers it shall come last. Before you can handle flame you must master your other gifts, beginning with seeing into the past" Fainne halted, wondering the reception her next words would receive.

"Perhaps you could find out about your father's death" she said quietly, fey green eyes fixed on Ginny.

The girl seemed to stop breathing, her body caught in unexpected shock.

Yes my father Ginny thought Of course, of course.

Fainne peered hopefully at Ginny. She breathed a silent sigh of relief when tears filled the girl's eyes. It was then that, in Fainne's mind, the darkness seemed to fade away, not disappear entirely rather diminish- finding a place to hide until it could take its true dwelling in its mistress's heart.

"Who could I do it to" Ginny asked, fumbling over the words. Her grief had been tightly hidden in her mind and heart recently; it seemed the only safe place to keep it. Ginny's frightful excitement over her new powers demanded the most attention, yet she knew that she could never, will never, be free of her innermost pain until she faced up to reality.

A flash of warmth lit Fainne's face, her warming ever so slightly. But she knew now that she could never, ever, look at Ginny and see a sixteen year old girl. She wouldn't look at her and see the long, thick red hair which curled in the middle but was straight at the ends, she wouldn't take account of the pale, oval face which was speckled with clusters of light freckles and never again would simply see the coffee coloured eyes as beautiful. Ginny was but her future could never be.

"I'm not sure. But it should be someone who is in the Order" Fainne replied softly. Seeing Ginny's mouth open and knowing the question, Fainne said "Yes I know about The Order of Phoenix, that's the problem with secret societies, they are never secret" she smiled gently and to her surprise Ginny smiled back, a sad smile which nearly washed away Fainne's previous misgiving. Nearly. Not quite.

Feeling suddenly guilty, Ginny muttered an apology, she didn't know what it was for, or why she felt the need to say it now, she just knew it needed to be said.

"I feel like I'm different somehow" Ginny spoke in a quite voice, almost to herself. The thoughts in her head, the new and overwhelming emotions of power and potential felt so good, so very, very good. But there was something, something not quite right, deep under the surface. Like a voice was calling out for help but it was too far away to be heard.

"Fainne?" Ginny began, remembering "When I was in Snape's memory, there was a woman there, her name was Sarah…"

Ginny closed her eyes, recalling back the image of Sarah's face. She did not see Fainne pale nor did she see the faerie's mouth twitch in a motion which could mean anger, displeasure, fear or even sorrow. She wasn't aware that Fainne's fey eyes clouded over, just for a second, before clearing.

"I think she has, had, the same gifts as me. I felt so close to her, there was a connection…if I could find her or at least discover what happened to her, then maybe it would help"

Maybe I could see if she felt the same lust as me, the lust for power. The sudden craving to know more, have more…become more Ginny added in her mind.

"I do not know" Fainne stated in a voice which refused interpretation.

Ginny sighed, feeling tired. The dark burst of energy which had consumed her after hearing of the great powers, was now a dull murmur.

"I should go" she said quietly, her former enthusiasm dying down.

"Yes" Fainne agreed "But you must come back soon. There is so much left to say"

Ginny nodded and said goodbye.

"Have you still got the ring?" Fainne called as an afterthought.

Giving her 'the finger' Ginny smiled, turned and walked slowly out of the circle, her footsteps crunching on the forest floor.

"I don't know whether to feel guilty or not" Fainne said out loud, before her tiny wings spread and she flew in the afternoon sky.

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Draco Malfoy shifted from his hiding place behind a particularly twisted tree. His legs felt cramped and numb – that's what you get for crouching in nature he thought bitterly as he lifted up one expensive shoe, which was covered with something which looked suspiciously like… "Unicorn crap! Fantastic!" he exclaimed out loud.

_At least I got something to tell that bastard _he thought of Voldemort _that's if he doesn't already know. Who would have thought it, Ginny Weasley a force to be reckoned with?! Sounds like far fetched faerie crap to me…like she could ever be a weather witch! If a diary got the best of her…a spot of rain should have no trouble evading her 'charms'_ he mocked mentally.

After a few minutes, when he was sure that the girl had left the forest, Draco stretched out his long legs and walked leisurely through the forest.

He was still a Malfoy and the talk of power should have intrigued him, but strangely it didn't. He felt no sudden desire to seduce Ginny Weasley, no swooping obsession overtook him; instead he felt oddly calm, revealed even. Perhaps if he believed the words he had overheard then things might have been different, but he didn't. He just couldn't believe them, refused to even acknowledge the possibility. He had come across a lot of strange things in his seventeen years but this was, in his mind, just…ludicrous…completely and utterly ridiculous.

_But I'll play along _he mentally avowed_ Whatever game you're playing Voldemort, whatever twisted little game you have running through you're mind, I'll be part of it. If it means getting my father back, I'll do it. She means nothing to me. Cut her, roast her, kill her for all I care. As long as what's mine is returned to me, I don't give a damn._

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You'd be proven wrong young Draco, so very, very wrong.


	9. Report

**Chapter nine**

**Heated Snake **

_Note: This is a very tiny chapter, more like the runt of a story/litter containing lots of larger chapters/siblings. What am I talking about?? Anyway, I'm planning on writing a biggish chapter real soon (hopefully) With Ginny looking back on her father's death, expanding her new powers and perhaps bonding with Harry. Also more Draco (what do you think of him so far?) More info about Snape and Sarah and of course more dastardly Voldemort. Will Ginny's powers be a good thing…I think not (cue evil cackle) _

_Thanks you for the reviews! Please do it more! _

Voldemort's reptilian face hung in the flames, the fiery heat licking at his features. Yet nothing could burn more brightly than those horrid red eyes, the eyes, which at that moment, were focused on a silver haired boy.

Draco Malfoy knelt before the fire, his eyes, ever so often, flicking around the common room, reassuring himself that he was alone. He was alone. How could three words be so frightful and yet so desperately comforting at the same time?

"Are you sure this is safe? You might be caught" Draco muttered, the sight of the burning head disturbing him to the core.

"Safe?" Voldemort heckled, letting out a soft, deadly chuckle "The fools couldn't even detect a sledgehammer striking them, never mind catching one of the greatest wizards ever to live" he said in a voice without vanity, only certainty.

"What have you to report?" he asked, eyes narrowing.

Draco let out a deep breath and told him what he had seen; he spoke of the faerie, the unearthly creature with the bright red hair and beautifully intricate wings. Draco had watched her with an almost childlike fascination, his usual cynical edge dampened slightly as he observed her from afar.

When he told Voldemort of Ginny Weasley's apparent powers, The Dark Lord didn't look surprised or even overtly happy, he just seemed…satisfied, like something he had always known was coming had finally arrived.

"It's not true of course" Draco finished firmly, yet a trace of doubt shadowed his former confidence as he looked at The Dark Lord's smug smile.

"Isn't it?" Voldemort replied playfully "Why do you say that? It is because she's just a girl…" he drawled, dragging out the words. "I know your pathetic excuse for a mother is a dismal example of the female gender but I assure you not all women are idiotic whores"

Draco grimaced but didn't argue, how could he? Draco had not yet met one woman, young or old who defied that description.

"So it's real? She really does have _powers_!? Draco asked each word weighted down by scornful disbelief.

"Hmm…" The Dark Lord replied, evading the question "So a forest creature is aiding her you say? How interesting, how very intriguing, I expected as much but still…" he trailed of, unwilling to share his thoughts with Draco.

"I suppose the little runt was warning Ginny about me? Warning my Ginny away from me…Ha! As if such a thing was possible. When she comes into her own, Ginny shall be begging to join my cause, pleading to stand at my side, hand in hand. That day will be glorious; the very heavens shall scream at the power we shall evoke, the angles shall cry out with pain, they will screech at the injustice of it, me taking what is rightly theirs. Everybody, mudblood, muggle and wizard alike, shall bow down to us and beg, beg for the mercy they shall not receive. Together, me and my girl, will rule for eternity"

Draco stared at the hellish face, speech failing him. He believed now, oh did he believe. Nobody could doubt the frightful conviction in that high, cruel voice; nobody could look into those gleaming eyes and see lies. Madness there was, but no doubt, no questioning _if_ it would happen, it was only a matter of _when._

"Do you see now boy? Do you see why she is so important?" Voldemort demanded sharply. "It is your job, no, your duty, to look out for her. Watch her every step, nothing must come between her fulfilling her dark destiny, a destiny pre-planned long years ago"

Draco, although still shocked, managed to ask in a strong voice "What about my father? I have done what you asked, now tell me where he is?" his mind was wishing he had never spoken so roughly, so dangerously, but his heart demanded answers.

Voldemort's face screwed up, the flames contorting to further enhance his wretched features. "You dare speak to me thus?" he said in a cold voice, a bone chilling tone "I have told you what you must do. Follow this and I will tell you. If not then you shall never know."

His voice changed into a perverse distortion of gentle kindness "Remember my dear boy, I wish to help you. You know that. Lucius was very…important to me. I intend to treat you with the same respect he showed me"

To Draco's ears this did not sound like a friendly warning passed down from boss to employee, it sounded like a threat. A threat he could not easily escape.

"Fine" Draco said, in a tone barely above a rough growl. "I'll keep watching her"

Voldemort smiled, his wrecked face at odds with the satisfaction it showed. "That's a good boy" he cooed "Now I must go. I have business to attend to. Wait for me to make contact"

Draco nodded reluctantly, a bitterness shining in his eyes. _How I would love to_ _destroy you…_ he thought, glad the dark creature couldn't read his mind _the pleasure I would gain from bashing your face in… skewering out those demonic eyes…breaking each twisted hand, finger by finger. I despise you… But once again I shall follow your bidding. When my father is found, he will no longer be your servant, you disgusting, depraved bastard! I will make sure he never bows down to you again._


	10. Voice

Chapter Ten

Little Voice

Ginny stood in front of the stone gargoyle, suddenly stilled by apprehension and dread. _What was I thinking?_ She thought angrily to herself _I come here all guns blazing and for what? So I can lurk around in the sodding corridor. What am I even going to say? He's supposed to be my headmaster; I can't just demand to know what happened to my dad? I can't just latch on to him and invade his mind…_

She let out a frustrated groan and leaned against the wall, the rough stones digging in her back. Her hair was tangled and wild as a result of her brisk run towards the castle. Her thin cheeks still red from the fierce autumn wind which had whipped against her.

The gentle words of Fainne had hit a hidden cord within her, reigniting the unwelcome but insistent need for information. Information; the word sounded so cold, so clinical. Ginny felt a harsh bark of laughter shoot out of her closed lips. Less than three months ago and that's all it boils down to…information. Every day she seemed to lose a fragment of memory, every day seemed to steal a loving look, a gentle laugh or even a parental rant. Week after week he was fading away and Ginny was powerless to stop it.

At times he was clear in her mind; she could see the thinning red hair as bright as her own, the crooked smile which had been so frequently shared and of course those kind blue eyes. Ginny thought back to when she was younger and how she would stare and scrutinize the wrinkles that fanned behind her father's glasses, she would look at his balding head and carefully attempt to count the hairs he had left _God I never want to be old!_ _I'm going to be young forever _The immature Ginny had vowed, causing her mother to laugh a little and say wisely "My girl not even a witch can stop nature's course" But that was a time before Tom, long before those horrid hours spent in the chamber of secrets, many years before grief and fright had washed away her naïve hopes and innocent dreams.

_I have to do this _Ginny decided, straightening herself up and brushing the stray twigs from the bottom of her shabby robes.

She moved to stand before the gargoyle, opening her mouth and then remembering one vital detail…password.

"Bollocks!" Ginny grumbled.

"I'm afraid I selected something far less exotic" an amused voice chuckled from behind.

Cringing, Ginny slowly turned around and said red faced "Professor"

Dumbledore walked towards her, eyes twinkling "Pear Drop" he said simply before the gargoyle revolved to reveal a spiral staircase.

"Shall we" Dumbledore gestured towards his office, standing back to let Ginny walk up before him.

Ginny stared numbly for a spilt second before returning to her sense and her purpose.

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"I had an inkling you'd be paying me a visit" Dumbledore said evenly from where he was sitting behind his desk, looking attentively at the standing Gryffindor pupil.

Ginny narrowed her eyes, a familiar anger threatening to flare up.

"Why is that?" she replied rather shortly. _Is it because you sent my dad to die?_

The headmaster sighed and leaned forward in his seat "You have a lot of questions to ask me I dare say. I'm actually surprised you didn't come sooner"

"I've been busy lately" Ginny replied darkly.

"Yes" Dumbledore said slowly, knowingly "I dare say you have"

Before Ginny could puzzle over what he meant, Dumbledore continued "I can offer you no condolences or apologises over your father's death. He was a brave man who made a choice. A choice to try and protect his family and all he held dear. A choice which you may never understand but eventually will come to respect"

Ginny bared her teeth in a sudden feral anger "How dare you try and tell me how I should feel?" she said coldly through gritted teeth.

"What was so brave about throwing a life away for nothing? It was stupid of him to think he could fool The Dark Lord. What did he think to achieve? What could he possibly do? He was just a man. He wasn't a hero or anyone special…he was just a man!" Ginny declared loudly, her raised voice causing several portraits to mutter "Rude, insolent girl!"

"It perfectly natural to be angry with him-"

"I'm not bloody angry at him! I'm angry at you! It was your fault! You sent him on a suicide mission! It was you! not him! He was my dad, he, he…." Ginny stuttered, trying hard to regain control.

"He said he was just going on a trip…" she continued weakly "He said he would be back in a few days. I didn't even hug him went he went…" tears began to form in her eyes, blurring her vision. She moved blindly towards a chair and slumped down in it, feeling broken and so very tired.

"I was in the garden …sitting on the grass" she mumbled almost to herself "…I was reading a muggle book Hermione leant me, one of those slushy romances, stupid really, but I liked it. He called my name from the house. I'd normally go up and tell him to be careful, fuss over him a little…not as much as mum did obviously…but just a little, so he knew I cared. But I'd gotten to a really good part of the book…I can remember…it was just before the first kiss…" Ginny looked up, remembering that the headmaster sat only meters away from her, her throat became dry and she felt acutely ashamed of herself. But something in his serene blue eyes, gave her the strength to continue, those eyes seemed to say _Go on tell me, you're safe. Just let it all out. _

"I just looked up and waved, shouted goodbye across the garden. It wasn't enough…not nearly enough…I should have – I should have…" her voice shook as did her body, softly at first and then in great heavy shudders.

"If I had known that it was the last time I'd ever see him again…then I would have done something…said something more. Maybe I could have stopped him…Maybe…"

"Do not think in such a way. It will tear you up inside…" A soft voice counselled, in a tone which suggested he knew all too well the 'what ifs' and 'maybes' of guilt.

"You could not possibly have known. To you he was just saying goodbye for the day. It is not healthy to dwell on the past, unchangeable as it is." Dumbledore let out a weary sigh and finished heavily "It is terribly cruel that we can only remember yesterday and not relive it."

_Relive it, relieve it, relive… _the voice echoed in her head. He might not be able to but _she _could….that's what she had come for after all. She had come to see the past. The past of a man who had no future because of _him…_ Ginny peered through tear moist eyes at the man who had killed her father. Yes, that was what she believed. She didn't hold Voldemort accountable for the murder…oh no…he may have been the one who had raised the wand, but it was he, Albus Dumbledore who had set the mission. He had taken so very much from people she loved.

_Sirius wouldn't of died if **he** hadn't had kept him imprisoned, locked away under house arrest_ said the little voice inside of her head _Think of Harry. Harry. Harry._ The voice repeated over and over again, like it was saying the magic word. _Think of Harry…_

_And what about you?_ The mental voice continued too softly _He stole your father. The man you've known all your life. The man who read you stories about princesses and dragons…remember how wonderful that was? Remember how the princess was always strong and brave and you loved her all the more because she too had to live with six brothers…Remember how you loved the parts where she'd get her own back on the brothers who played tricks on her…You felt so safe and warm and loved but all that's gone now…Your father will never see you grow up, never see how powerful you will become, how beautiful, how deadly…_

Ginny felt the words stream through her, they weren't her thoughts but she was thinking them. She knew as sure as she knew her own name, that these words, the persuasive little mutterings, which twisted her will as easily as air, were true. More than true. She would be powerful…she would be…Ginny let the little voice take over

_Then there are you're brothers. You've never asked them how they feel have you? You don't care about them, only yourself…_

I do care, I love them! Ginny thought strongly but the voice did not stop

_Only yourself… always yourself…how you're feeling, how much you're going to miss him? But what about Bill? The first born, he knew your father the longest, perhaps his wound is the deepest. Or Charlie? He's your favourite isn't he? The brother who's not quite tame, the one who likes to play with Dragons. You think he's too strong to feel the pain but he's not. It hurts him. Then there's Percy, the quiet one. No you wouldn't talk to him; he pretends he's better than you all but he knows that isn't true. He loves being a Weasley. He loved his father. Next are the twins. You think that they'd be happy no matter what, you think them mere pranksters but you're wrong. You underestimate them, the brothers who are one and the same. Last of all there's Ron, closet to your heart and furthest from your thoughts. He knows you so well but then again not at all. Don't you care about him? No, I suppose not. Luckily he has friends, best friends who love him no matter what. You don't Ginny. You only have yourself. You can only trust yourself. And me…I'll always be with you. No matter what, I'll never leave you like he did…_

Ginny shook her head, attempting to shake out the voice. It died away, retreating to a hidden place until it would rise once more.

"Are you well?" Professor Dumbledore asked in a voice which wasn't just filled with concern. There was something else in his soft, ancient tones. Something a little like wariness. Something a little like fear.

"I'm fine" Ginny replied guardedly, all too aware that his eyes seemed to search her very soul.

She tried to forget that just minutes before she had cried in front of this man; showed weakness against an adversary. Although her raw grief had now been replaced by an emotion quite different, she willed tears to well from her eyes and fall down her cheeks. She let out a weak sob and placed her hands over her eyes, as if to hide her pain. She felt him rather than saw him rise from his chair and walk to her side. Any minute now he would lay a comforting hand on her shoulder; perhaps whispering a few words of sympathy and regret. He was close. She let out another all-too convincing cry as she felt his hand move forward to pat her shoulder.

_Pity was always his weakness_ a very cold voice said in her mind, she dimly recognised it but was too caught up in her act to really pay attention. _Love is for fools!_

Any second now. Nearly there. Just a bit closer, that's it. She felt his fingertips lightly touch her shoulder. A shiver of anticipation ran through her. _I'll see him again. I'll see him! _

"Albus you're needed right away"

The hand moved away as Ginny's heart dropped like a heavy stone and her blood boiled with hot rage.

_Who dare interrupt? I was so close. So bloody close!_

She spun around, eyes flashing with disgust at the sight of Professor McGonagall. Never before had she noticed just how repulsive all that garish tartan was. How she would love to wrap that scarf tight round her neck and pull it so…

"What's the problem Minerva?"

"One of my first years has been put under a particularly complex charm by Vincent Crabbe of all people. Young Richard Smith has been suspended 20ft in the air for the past hour. He absolutely petrified. I'm frankly amazed that Crabbe had it in him"

"I'll come right away" He looked over at Ginny and smiled "Perhaps we could continue this another time?"

Ginny nodded and bit back the heated response which threatened to spill out. _Oh we will Dumbledore! this will be continued, you don't get away that easily…_

"I trust you to see yourself out" Dumbledore gave Ginny one last, swift look of mingled feeling, before saying "Let's ground Mr. Smith. I do hope he's not very afraid of heights" and following Professor McGonagall out of the office.

Ginny's eyes burnt into their retreating backs. She let out a deep growl of frustration.

"Feisty little thing isn't she?" gossiped a witch from a nearby portrait, who unbeknown to Ginny, had a striking resemblance to Petunia Dursley. "I suppose it's all that red hair…bad tempered lot" the witch muttered to neighbour, while eyeing Ginny in a most disapproving way.

"Oh shut it you nosey old bag!" Ginny shouted back, before departing the office with a temper her family was famous for.

Muttering curses under her breath, Ginny stomped down the stairs, not looking where she was going.

When she felt a hard bulk crash into her, she knew instinctively that she really should start paying attention when walking in corridors. _The second in one day, that's just my sodding luck! _

As the memories flooded into her, she felt heartily glad that her temper was famous.

It would come in useful when she killed Draco Malfoy.


	11. Games

Disclaimer: Unfortunately I can't read JKR mind so I own nothing except for Sarah and Fainne.

Authors note: So far…Ginny's father has been killed by Voldemort. A strange meeting with a forest fairy has led Ginny to discover she has gifts. Voldemort has expressed his desire to regain his redheaded pet and through a strange magical object, the sighting stone, Ginny's possible destiny had been seen.

Draco has been blackmailed into spying on Ginny in exchange for information on the missing Lucius. Sarah, a woman from Snape's past also has a connection with Ginny and her strange, dark future.

Sorry if this is getting confusing but I'm trying to tie up a few loose ends and bring the story together. As a die-hard Ginny/Draco shipper this might turn out that way but then again Harry might try and keep Ginny on the light side which could lead to some H/G…stuff. (Isn't by grammar great…) What do you guys think? The bad boy or the white knight?

I apologise that the chapter titles are royally naff; I was trying for a one-word kind of thing, but it doesn't really work too well. Anyway I not sure how many people are reading this but if you are please review. If not then I might just give up and resort to doing actually homework (oh…the horror!)

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**GAMES**

Severus Snape sat studying the picture, his hooked nose just inches away from its surface. For over sixteen years, the tiny, smiling image of Sarah had remained hidden in the bottom of a chest. Packed firmly away with other nasty little reminders of the past. Out of sight out of mind. Or at least that was how it was supposed to work. A person leaves and you forget. There should be no pain, no doubt only…an empty space which can be filled.

But however hard he tried, no matter how many memories he attempted to kill, she was still there. Her shadow forever followed his. Her words still arrived in his mind – whenever he was lonely or angry she would be there, telling him what he knew was a lie. "It'll be ok" the memory of her said, so softly that he almost let himself believe it.

"You were right" he said to the picture in a low, bitter voice. "You said there would be another and there is. She's a Weasley, can you believe it? Just looking at her you'd never guess what she really is. She's such a scrawny thing, all pale and freckled. Plus she's insolent, rude and far too headstrong" Snape looked at the twinkling eyes of Sarah and added in a weary tone "You'd have liked her"

_You are going to help her, aren't you Severus _he imagined the voice of Sarah saying in a strict, this-is-a-statement-not-a-question kind of voice.

He thought back to the horrible, violated feeling he had experienced earlier that day when Ginny Weasley had invaded his mind. Shivers trailed through his bones as he remembered her cold touch. Something about the girl had seemed wrong, regardless of her powers, there was another feeling of alarm which rippled through him whenever he thought of her.

"She may be too far gone to save" he replied to words Sarah had never spoken.

_So you're just going to let him take her? You're going to give up? _His guilt said in Sarah's voice _Can you remember what he made me do? All those people he made me kill? In the end I was just his puppet, unable to distinguish my own thoughts from the ones he forced in my brain. Remember how I used to come to you and say such horrible things? Inside, it tore me apart but I still said them. He made me. His voice was always there. I used to think I was going mad, I had all these powers running through me but I could never control them. At the end I was no match for him. It's going to be worse for her; she's so much younger than I was…_

"What the hell can I do?" Snape snarled at the picture. Suddenly so angry at the smiling Sarah, enraged that she was still with him. He hated that she would always be there, hated to look at her face in the picture and know that when he looked away she would be gone. He hated himself for still loving her.

"I let you go. I let myself believe we could beat him. You told me that the things you saw in his mind were terrible but how could they be any worse than now? Why did you think that a life without you could be anything but torture? Why did you give yourself up to him? You should have been stronger!" he felt his hands reaching to rip the photograph. For over sixteen years the futile, desperate questions had been locked deep inside, but now they were tearing free, bursting forth and shattering his long-standing façade of control.

"I told you not to go. I begged you to run away, go somewhere he could never find. But you wouldn't listen! You had to be noble, you stupid bitch! Why couldn't you have been a coward like me!" he finished in a voice consumed with self-loathing.

_Because there was a chance_ he imagined her saying _I thought I could escape the evil inside me, I thought I could use powers the Darkness had cursed me with against him… but I was wrong. He knew exactly what words to say to bring me to his side. At the end even the love I had for you wasn't enough. The true me was slowly destroyed. As soon as I began using my powers I could never be the same again. _

Snape watched as the image of Sarah blushed slightly and tucked a curl of her honey hair behind her ear. He reluctantly remembered the day he had taken the photograph. It had been a Sunday morning in the middle of spring. For the first time in his life he had enjoyed the light, relished the feeling of the sun warming his skin. He hadn't minded stepping out from the darkness where he felt safest because she had been at his side, placing her own hand in his and leading him into a feeling he had never known – happiness.

_All that's gone now_ he thought with terrible, unyielding bitterness. _And now there's another. Will she follow your path? Will Ginny Weasley become the same creature he twisted you into? Is that her fate? Will her destiny be as dark as yours? _Snape asked, knowing the only answer would be the one he conjured from his memories.

_Perhaps not. I have seen her in my dreams; there are two fates ahead of her. Her choice will shape the future of all. _

_She will need you before the end, Severus. _

Snape winced, knowing instinctively that this was true and fearing the day when he might once again fail.

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There he was minding his own business, doing a bit of harmless loitering when a cannonball of red hair and stomping feet had charged into him, sending him into a dizzy, sickening daze. What had he done to merit such an assault? Was it his fault she was in such bad mood…well…

"You spelled that brat in the air! It was you! You stupid shit! Do you know what you disturbed?" Ginny shouted heatedly, as she detangled herself from the stunned Slytherin.

Draco Malfoy looked up at her from his undignified position on the floor. The sensation of her delving into his mind had begun to fade away, but the shock of hearing a Weasley shout at _him, _literally look down at _him _was taking longer to acknowledge.

"Of course you don't!" Ginny continued, angry red blotches colouring her cheeks "You have no clue about anyone other than yourself. In case you're wondering I'm fine and I accept your immediate apology for the grievous bodily harm you could have caused me"

Draco felt his mouth opening and as the words came charging out, he forgot that he was in fact a cool, calm and infinitely superior being who would never debase himself by swapping insults with a sewer rat.

"My apology? Well _excuse me_ little miss rant-a-lot if I don't fall down on my knees and beg your forgiveness" he scoffed in a raised voice.

"Actually you're already on you're knees so if you feel like grovelling I'll listen…" Ginny smiled, feeling most of her anger ebbing away into a more manageable bout of frustration and annoyance.

Standing quickly up, Draco moved closer to Ginny and drew himself to his full, rather impressive height. He stared down his nose at her, with sharp eyes and retorted in a smooth, cold voice "I believe that an invasion into a person's private memories is much more serious than playing with a first year simpleton. Don't you?"

He watched with amusement as her eyes widened slightly in shock and she took a step backwards.

"Whatever do you mean Malfoy?" She bluffed once recovered. "Are you sure you didn't hit you're head when you assaulted me. I'll be a Good Samaritan and take you to the hospital ward, shall I?"

"I don't think that will be necessary somehow. We both know what you are and what you can do" Draco drawled boldly, forgetting that his objective was to watch her_ secretly_. For some reason the only thing that mattered was re-establishing his reputation as a heartless bastard. He didn't want to lose face in front of her, not _Ginny Weasley_.

"Oh really? Please, enlighten me" Ginny said in a too-casual tone "Should I take a seat or will this be a short trip into your over-active imagination?"

Draco felt a smile tug on his face but quickly schooled his expression into a look of bored condescension.

"Well it all starts over sixteen years ago when a baby was born to a muggle-loving wench who already had far too many brats squealing around the sty…"

"Ha bloody ha" Ginny interrupted indifferently "And they all had horrid red hair, freckles and wore rags….your material is becoming stale Malfoy. Get on with it"

"Your wish is my command" he countered sarcastically "The girl led a pitiful existence as Harry Potter's number one fan girl…"

"Bored now!"

"…until one day she discovered she had powers. Incredible powers which really should have gone to somebody more deserving…but for some reason she was the one who received them or was born with them, I'm not really sure about that." Draco stopped and smirked "How am I doing?"

Ginny looked him up and down in mock consideration and said in a voice heavy with derision "I'll give you five points for presentation, zero for actual accuracy and you get full marks in the jackass category. Congratulations"

"How else do you explain knowing I was the one levitating first-years 50ft in the air? Female intuition?" he mocked while closely watching her pale, pretty face screw up in annoyance.

"Perhaps I'm just very knowledgeable and guessed that only a complete bully with a major inferiority complex would pick on someone half his size." Ginny said smugly, attempting to cover her rising worry. _Does he know? No, it's not possible…is it?_

"Is this the point where I act all insulted and reply by calling you a nasty name and offend your delicate girly sensibilities?" Draco said in a bored voice accompanied with an exasperated sigh for extra effect.

"No this is the point where you admit you're stark raving mad and I walk you to the hospital ward and help you into a straightjacket."

Letting out a low little laugh, Draco moved one step closer to Ginny and said quietly "Let's cut the crap. I felt you in my head. You can pretend all you want but it doesn't take away the fact that I know"

Ginny felt his breath in the air. She felt the warmth of his body, the body everybody believed was frozen from the inside out. She kept her eyes staring straight, so that they were level with his rising chest.

Somehow he knew, for some reason unknown to her, Draco Malfoy knew her secret. A secret she herself had only recently discovered.

There was one way to answer the question she wanted to know _'how?'_ but to reach up and touch his white pale skin would only confirm what he already knew.

_What exactly **does** he know_? Ginny wondered _and why am I not angry? I should be livid. He screwed up my chances with Dumbledore. Just a few minutes ago I was desperate to find out about my dad, I wanted to choke Miss McGonagall for Chris's sake! But now it's gone…the anger has gone…not disappeared, I can still feel it bubbling away…but it has retreated. Why am I so changeable all of a sudden? For most of my life I have been Ginny Weasley 'loser extraordinaire' but now it's like somebody else has arrived in my head. I supposed to have all these great powers but I don't know how to use them. At times it's like they are part of me, like they've always been there but sometimes, just rare instances, they feel horribly wrong and they make me want to scratch my skin off to get them out. Whenever I look at Harry or Ron, I feel like I want to tell them. They probably wouldn't believe me, well not Ron anyway. But Harry would listen; he'd understand having something that you can't control. _

"How do you know?" Ginny asked quietly, no longer able to sustain a convincing bluff.

Draco looked down at her, surprised that their little game was over so quickly. He had started to enjoy it.

"I have my sources" he said mysteriously.

"Like who? Your father?" Ginny said unknowingly.

Before she knew it, Draco had taken a vice-like grip on her arms and was pushing her violently against the wall. She felt the air leave the lungs as she banged against the wall in a way that ensured they would be flourishing purple bruises in the morning.

"Never-talk-about-my-father" Draco whispered in a dangerously soft voice.

Ginny nodded mutely, too surprised to get angry. The look in his silver eyes was too fierce, too wild, to be challenged.

"I'm sorry. I forgot that he was…" Ginny managed eventually. Her breath hitched as she attempted to struggle from his grip.

Draco stared intensely at her for several long seconds before coming back to himself. Regaining his control he let go and stepped back. Running a hand through his sleek blonde hair, he said shortly "Sorry"

"I didn't mean to…" Ginny said caught between sympathy and belated anger.

"Listen Weasley just because I know all about you doesn't mean you have to know everything about me, got it? I don't want any pity or condolences or shoulders to cry on. I'm not some sissy who goes all red-eyed over a case of missing person. Are we clear?"

_Liar… _Ginny thought to herself _who do you think you're fooling? I've see you all 'red-eyed' over your father, bastard that he was. On the train, you came in my carriage. Never thought I'd see the day when a Malfoy became human. _

"Crystal" Ginny replied darkly "But just for the record, my shoulder wasn't on offer and next time you hurt me you'll understand just how my powers can be used"

"So you admit it then?" Draco said smirking, a triumphant look on his pointed face.

Ginny smiled despite herself. "I guess you've caught me out. So what are you going to do about it?"

"What do you think?" Draco asked, raising one blond eyebrow and leaning casually on the wall.

Thinking through her options, Ginny could see only one solution which could solve several of her problems. It would be unpleasant for both of them. It might even be dangerous. Awful things could happen. Terrible, depraved things.

"I'll practise on you" Ginny declared simply, a glint in her deep brown eyes.

"What!" Draco spluttered in a most un-Malfoy like way.

"I may as well tell you that I've only just discovered these…my…whatever you want to call them, so I need a person to…rehearse with. Somebody told me that I should start with the memory reading." Ginny looked at Draco's dazed face and added slyly "It should be fun"

"No Goddamn way!" Draco finally said, coming to his senses "I'm not going to be your lab rat. Find another victim; try Potter or your freak of a brother."

"The way I see it" Ginny began, ignoring his slight against Ron "you don't have much of a choice. Either you play along like a good boy or I'll tell Dumbledore that you were the one mistreating children. And if that doesn't bother you then I might start thinking you have something to hide, something which might just get me angry, and when I get angry…"

"You turn green?" Draco interrupted wryly

"No" Ginny retorted crossly "I get pissed and tactile, very touchy feely. So either way I'm going to find out what's under your surface."

"What are you going to do? Stalk me? Jump out at me from the shadows?" Draco said cockily.

"That's exactly what I'm going to do." Ginny replied smugly, watching Draco's face pale as the realisation that he had no choice, hit him.

"Fine. I'll be your rat" Draco sighed heavily "Do I get a wheel?"

"No such luck. But you do get to avoid the wait. Lift up your sleeve, I need to get a better grip than before" Ginny ordered firmly.

Draco moved away from the wall and stepped back from Ginny "Not now. I have a lesson"

"It's the end of the day"

"Not now" Draco repeated in an unchangeable tone "I have things to do"

"Fine. Tomorrow. Where?" Ginny asked, slightly annoyed that her experimentation would have to wait.

"By the lake under the trees. It's Saturday so everyone will be at Hogsmead. No interference"

Ginny frowned at his choice of words but nodded in agreement.

"Until tomorrow" Draco stated before walking down the corridor without a second glance.

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Ginny curled up under the covers, feeling strangely content. The last few months had been hell or rather a kind of empty standstill where every day seemed like the one before. But now, even though things had changed in radical and unbelievable ways, it was all becoming a little more bearable.

_I said I wanted a distraction and now I've got one _Ginny thought dryly _who'd have thought that I would be here thinking about powers, Voldemort, forest fairies and…Draco Malfoy. Out of all of this, I think he's the strangest thing. _

Pulling the covers up higher, Ginny stretched out on the bed before returning to her curled, cat like position.

_And to think this only started a few days ago with a dream and a ball of light. I forgot all about that dream, I meant to ask Fainne that first night but when I've with her…my mind goes all fuzzy. _

_I guess my 'powers' will only grow…_Ginny felt a smile curve her lips and she lifted her hand to her face. The every coloured ring still glinted on her finger like a talisman of the new her. The new Ginny, the powerful Ginny.

_Yes my sweet you will be beautiful…_a voice murmured softly as she drifted off into a deep, dreamless sleep.

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"So she fell for it?" Voldemort asked from the flames. It was three in the morning and the Slytherin common room was empty and dark. The cold, satisfied voice of The Dark Lord and Draco's shallow breathing was the only sound heard.

"Easily" Draco replied with a slight sneer on his lips "I fed her the usual bastard banter and came over all reluctant. It was actually rather embarrassing how quickly she gave up her secret. We've arranged to meet tomorrow"

"Good, Good. I'm glad the distraction worked so well. The last thing we want is her connecting with Dumbledore. The restriction charm I placed on her should have shielded her from looking into any valuable memories but still, one can not take chances" Voldemort finished with gleaming eyes.

Draco sat up straighter and leaned slightly closer to the fire. "Are you sure she won't see any of my more…private thoughts? The last thing I want is _her _knowing all about me"

"Rest assured master Malfoy. She will only see the insignificant moments of your little life. Our involvement will not be known to her. Your assignment is to get close to her, gain her trust and become her only ally. We need to ensure that she remains isolated, which means no involvement with her brothers, the filthy mudblood and especially not Potter… I don't want him anywhere near my girl."

"How does the charm work? How could you of placed it on her?" Draco asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

The red eyes of The Dark Lord narrowed and he spoke mockingly "Do you honestly expect me to divulge my secrets to _you?_ No, all you need to know is that it's all been taken care of. Now I must leave. Enjoy your little games Draco"

And with a pop the head of Draco's blackmailer disappeared.


End file.
